SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Bar " 6,356 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Barron Trump’s Business Venture Faces ‘Cultural Appropriation’ Backlash
Barron Trump’s new beverage company is receiving backlash on social media weeks before its official launch. Sollos Yerba Mate, a canned yerba mate brand, listed the 20-year-old as a director. It now f...
Cardinals draft Jeremiyah Love No. 3: Highest RB pick since Saquon Barkley now among NFL's highest-paid
Love goes No. 3 to Arizona, becoming the highest-drafted RB since 2018 and landing a $50M rookie deal
3 UC scientists honored with ‘Oscars of Science’ at the 2026 Breakthrough Prizes
Two UC Berkeley faculty members and a UC Santa Barbara Nobel laureate were awarded Breakthrough Foundation prizes for their incredible contributions to advancing science.
Legal victory for home and business owners impacted by Hurricane Harvey flooding downstream from Addicks and Barker dams
A federal judge ruled downstream property owners near the Addicks and Barker dams suffered damage after government water releases following Hurricane Harvey.
Newly surfaced photos reportedly show Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini at NYC bar in 2020, Mississippi casino in 2024
Madrid Presents the Transformation Project of the Former Olympic Aquatic Center Site into a Multifunctional Complex for Sports, Entertainment, and Education
Barsento, the joint venture formed by Live Nation, Oak View Group (OVG), and Atlético de Madrid, has today presented the transformation project of the former Olympic Aquatic Center site alongside the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. The initiative will breathe new life into the unfinished Aquatic Center building, transforming…
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa -
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa By Matthew K. Ribar, Stanford University Only 15% of African households possess a formal title for their agricultural land, despite the [...]
Kentucky AD Barnhart to forego $1M retirement gig amid criticism
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart will forego a $1 million retirement gig that had been widely criticized, he announced Thursday.
Newly surfaced photos reportedly show Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini at NYC bar in 2020
Russini resigned from her post at The Athletic on April 14, and Vrabel is skipping Day 3 of the NFL Draft to seek counseling.
Baldness May Be Reversible With One Natural Sugar. But the Science Is Still Early.
It works by jump-starting circulation where it matters most—something current options barely touch.
Michigan congressman Tom Barrett in the crosshairs of gas price politics
The surge in fuel prices has Republicans like Tom Barrett who campaigned against high fuel costs on the defensive heading into November's election.
AMA calls for regulatory crackdown on chatbots, wellness AI
In this edition of STAT Health Tech: OpenAI's targets clinicians, AMA's call for regulatory crackdown, and bargain-basement telehealth visits.
Ph.D. student combines science and leadership while pushing cancer research forward
Oluwaferanmi Ogunleye's work focuses on DNA "barcodes" that track specific proteins in cells and could reveal more information on how cell behave, interact and change.
Entwisle named to American Academy of Arts and Sciences - College of Arts and Sciences
Carolina sociologist Barbara Entwisle has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Entwisle is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Sociology and fellow of the Carolina Population Center.
The Craft Challenges of Writing Political Fiction
In the 1950s, the Iowa Writers Workshop received funding from the CIA to push a writing style that centered the emotional life of the individual while decentering the social and political forces th…
'The Neighbourhood': Graham Norton Praised By Team Behind ITV Show
Graham Norton has been praised for his hosting of 'The Neighbourhood, ITV's Saturday night show, after he appeared in a Taylor Swift video.
Sainsbury’s and WHSmith warn war will hit customers and business
Retailers flag weak outlook as consumers rein in spending
Bass, Barger meets with Trump to push for L.A. fire recovery funds
The mayor and county supervisor said they had a "high-level discussion" with the president, sharing stories about what fire survivors are experiencing day to day.
Judge bars certification of Virginia redistricting results; state AG promises appeal
A congressional map approved by Virginia voters that aims to help Democrats net four US House seats in November’s midterms faces another legal hurdle just one day after its passage. Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley on Wednesday ordered that the results of Tuesday’s vote not be certified on several grounds, including that state lawmakers did not follow their own rules in passing the redistricting referendum. State Attorney General Jay Jones said his office intends to immediately appeal Hurley’s Wednesday ruling. The fate of Virginia’s referendum was already before the state Supreme Court, which stayed a previous ruling by Hurley in the run-up to the referendum and allowed Tuesday’s vote to proceed before deciding the merits of that case.
Is tit-for-tat political gerrymandering the future of US politics?
Virginia voters delivered a major win to Democrats on Tuesday.A narrow majority voted to allow lawmakers to bypass the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. That means the Democratic-led legislature will create a map that’s more favorable to them in the midterms.It's the latest chapter in a redistricting saga that President Trump started last year, but is the tit-for-tat redistricting battle the future of US electoral politics?We speak with Democratic Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger to hear her perspective.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
State law conflict sees WIAA sink proposal to ban transgender students from girls’ sports
A proposal to bar transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports has failed for a second consecutive year in Washington, falling short of the supermajori
Red Bull New York Opens RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township, N.J.
Red Bull New York today unveiled its new RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township, New Jersey. The cutting-edge complex is the most innovative soccer training facility in North America and further positions the Club to attract and develop the best talent for the organization.
Hochul order bars state workers from insider trading on prediction markets
The governor said the order forbids covered state officers and employees from using confidential information acquired in the course of their official duties to further their personal financial interests through these markets.
Bombardier CEO Navigates Supply Chain Constraints for Defense Business After Hitting $1 Billion Goal Early
Eric Martel is navigating the Canadian jet maker through some turbulence to seize on the next leg of growth in the booming defense market.
Michigan congressman in the crosshairs of gas price politics
In 2023, Tom Barrett used $4-a-gallon gas to win a mid-Michigan seat in Congress. Now he's playing defense amid high gas prices under GOP leadership.
A Powerful New ‘QR Code’ Untangles Math’s Knottiest Knots
With a newly discovered mathematical tool, researchers are hoping to gain unprecedented insight into the structure of complex knots.
Clearing Every Bar: How Brooklyn Marcee Balanced Athletics, Leadership, and Business
For Brooklyn Marcee, the dream of competing as a collegiate athlete started early — and it became the foundation for a college journey defined by discipline, leadership, and determination. Marcee ... Clearing Every Bar: How Brooklyn Marcee Balanced Athletics, Leadership, and Business
Lily Sones ’25 Brings Science Down to Earth
The recent graduate has a unique role with the National Wildlife Federation: the Offshore Wind Energy team’s Storytelling Fellow.
Chelsea Women to make Stamford Bridge permanent home
Chelsea Women will make Stamford Bridge their permanent home in 2026/2027.The Blues announced the news via a post on their official club website this morning.Chelsea will play all of their Barclays Wo...
70% of people believe at least one divisive health claim. Science needs a new playbook
Edelman’s 2026 Trust Barometer finds doubts about health recommendations are far from fringe — they're mainstream, global, and span education levels.
70% of people believe at least one divisive health claim. Science needs a new playbook
Edelman’s 2026 Trust Barometer finds doubts about health recommendations are far from fringe — they're mainstream, global, and span education levels.
Women’s sports rule at this revamped Arlington bar
The Washington Spirit, the Mystics and D.C. Divas are among the teams whose games will get priority at the reimagined Westover Taco.
Max Bartos to perform 2 hometown shows as LAUNCH returns to Lancaster [Q&A]
The LAUNCH Music Conference and Festival uplifts emerging musicians, but it also leaves space for musicians who are returning home, too.
Minnesota educators fight for a way to lower skyrocketing health insurance costs
As health insurance premiums continue to rise, Minnesota school districts – especially small, rural ones – struggle to find good, affordable health care coverage for their staff. Minnesota educators across the state want to be able to band together for better coverage and bargaining power in the marketplace.
UK inflation climbs to 3.3%, driven by largest increase in fuel prices in over three years
Oil prices fall on ceasefire extension but stay near $100 a barrel as strait of Hormuz remains closed
The politics of trust in science
Public confidence in scientific research is spread unevenly across the population
The politics of trust in science
Public confidence in scientific research is spread unevenly across the population
Science in the shadow of the Third Reich
In postwar West Germany, the link between cigarettes and cancer was ignored — with real and deadly effects
How Nestlé’s pioneering China business fell into disarray
Chinese distributors are chasing the Swiss giant for refunds after it allegedly oversupplied the market as demand dropped
State prison officials are grappling with a crisis behind bars
NY1 went inside one of the state’s largest prisons — Green Haven Correctional Facility — for an exclusive look beyond its walls.
Feud between Mace and Mills flares as the Republicans trade barbs, expulsion threats
A deeply personal grudge between a pair of Republicans — Reps. Cory Mills of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — has escalated on Capitol Hill, as Mills accused his long-time foe of trying to profit off efforts to oust him.
Prudential Financial Stock Is Falling on Report of Potential Misconduct at Japan Insurer
Shares were down 6% in Tuesday trading.
Kentucky governor blasts UK athletics' 'decision-making'
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has publicly questioned the "decision-making" at the University of Kentucky, including the seven-figure gig retiring athletic director Mitch Barnhart was recently given.
Despite Fast-paced Momentum, AMC Entertainment (AMC) Is Still a Bargain Stock
AMC Entertainment (AMC) made it through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen and could be a great choice for investors looking for stocks that have gai
RWJBarnabas Health and Harvest Earn “Companies That Care” Honor from Commerce Magazine
RWJBarnabas Health was recognized by Commerce Magazine and The Commerce & Industry Association of NJ (CIANJ) at the 2026 "Companies That Care" Awards Ceremony on April 16th, 2026 for its engagement in partnerships that improve New Jersey.
Behavioral health data exchange challenges impede interoperability, says ONC
Technical barriers, workforce limitation, privacy concerns and cost may all contribute to lower rates of electronic exchange of health information by mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities, a new analysis shows.
The Subaru X-100 Was The Plane-Shaped Car Designed To Cross The U.S. On A Single Tank Of Gas
The Subaru X-100, a one-off concept built with one purpose in mind: to drive across the U.S. on a single tank of gas, getting 100 MPG in the process.
FDA, VSP searching downtown Charlottesville business
Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Virginia State Police are searching the DripBar on East Water Street.
Earth’s largest otters have chocolate bar-sized babies
Chester Zoo celebrates the birth of giant otter triplets.
Lions 4 remaining free agency contract details reveal more savings
Breaking down the full contract details for Lions free agent signings Teddy Bridgewater, Ben Bartch, Avonte Maddox, and Chuck Clark.
Union takes legal action against Build a Rocket Boy over alleged data privacy violations
IWGB union cites monitoring software installed onto employees' devices as violating "both data protection laws and the workforce's basic dignity"
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
Sources: Barring renewed faith, Steve Kerr not expected to return to Warriors
Many with the Warriors and around the league believe Steve Kerr will be jobless after he meets with Golden State CEO Joe Lacob and GM Mike Dunleavy.
Ocean Casino Resort Unveils Summer 2026 Lineup with High-Energy Entertainment, New Openings, Expanded Private Jet Service and Seasonal Amenities
/PRNewswire/ -- Ocean Casino Resort is setting the stage for an unforgettable Summer 2026 with an exciting lineup of headlining entertainment at HQ2 Beachclub...
Dr. Aditya Bardia elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation
Each year, the organization selects up to 100 physician-scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions to research and patient care.
West Fork Whiskey sells Westfield venue to Stick and Hack Entertainment
Fishers-based Stick and Hack plans to open a sports and entertainment facility at the site with two restaurants, three bars, an outdoor beer garden, and golf and racing simulators.
Including A 20,000-Cap Arena: Live Nation, OVG & Atlético Madrid To Build Entertainment, Sports & Educational Complex In Spanish Capital
Barsento, a joint venture formed by Live Nation, Oak View Group (OVG), and Atlético de Madrid, alongside the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida,
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Britain Politics
Baroness Smith leaves after a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Who is the NBA GOAT? The greatest U.S. basketball players of all time, from MJ to 'Pistol Pete'
Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the best of U.S. men's basketball make up USA TODAY's '250 for 250' list of greats.
Johnson faces political gauntlet as legislative fights collide
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is barreling toward a brutal end-of-the-month crunch, juggling a slate of high-stakes legislative fights with intensifying calls for one of his members to step down and…
Inside Montclair State's Red Hawks Rising
Danbury, Conn. —The race is on as the inaugural ECAC/Jets Flag Football season barrels toward an electrifying finish, and Montclair State is making sure every moment is remembered. The Red Hawks have been rolling cameras all season long, capturing the highs, the grind, and the defining moments of their very first campaign in a behind-the-scenes documentary series
Microsoft Teams is trying to fix accidental hand-raising
The planned redesign will also allow users to customize their actions toolbar.
Tennis duo Sabalenka and Alcaraz sweep top Laureus sports honours
Barcelona's Yamal bags Young Sportsperson of the Year accolade a year after winning the Breakthrough award in 2025.
Image: Barcelona finalise next artist for El Clasico shirt
Barcelona are once again blending football with global music culture, and this time, the spotlight is on Olivia Rodrigo.According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants have already decided the featur...
🗞️ Front pages: glory and future collide on Tuesday
A quick trip to the newsstand to check out today’s front pages.From excitement and Real Madrid’s future to Barça’s transfer plans, via a historic party in Donostia. A varied cast of main charac...
L’Oréal film reclaims ‘Because I’m Worth It’ for Ilon Specht and raises bar for branded content
“The Final Copy of Ilon Specht” for L'Oréal Paris wins Branded Entertainment/Content Campaign of the Year at the 2026 Creativity Awards.
'Mini golf entertainment experience' to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
Microsoft Teams and Outlook are getting significant changes soon
Teams is about to feel very different with major UI changes for the toolbar and performance tweaks, while Outlook quietly adds smart Copilot features you might rely on daily.
My final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos
It’s finally draft week and I’ll be wrapping up my pre-draft coverage with several big boards based around research on George Paton and Sean Payton and their draft tendencies over the next two days. However, for today, I’ll use that research to lay down my final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos. To be […]
Rahm Emanuel moves to the left on Israel
Emanuel, who worked on a massive Iron Dome defense package as President Barack Obama's chief of staff, is calling for an end to U.S. taxpayer military funding for Israel.
Vermont businesses seek thousands in tariff refunds as federal system launches
“I think it could be huge,” said a representative of one Vermont customs broker. “I’m sure it's going to be a big windfall for a lot of companies in Vermont and elsewhere.”
Science is Cool: Capillary Action
Kirsten Hibbard, the executive director of the Challenger Learning Center, is here to teach us about capillary action.
‘Mini golf entertainment experience’ to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
‘Mini golf entertainment experience’ to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
Join Healthy Kids Here in Celebration of Every Kid Healthy Week™
IDEA Public Schools’ Healthy Kids Here program is a proud partner of Every Kid Healthy Week™, an annual national celebration led by Action for Healthy Kids, observed this year during April 20-24, 2026. […]
The DC Area's First Women's Sports Bar Opens in Arlington
Westover Taco changes direction under new ownership.
Kevin Warsh to say Fed independence not threatened by political pressure
Donald Trump’s pick for chair will tell powerful Senate committee that central bank must ‘stay in its lane’
OnePlus officially says it is ‘evaluating’ its future in Europe
The future of OnePlus is becoming clearer as evidence of the company’s efforts to restructure comes from those who have...
Barrio Business Expo set for Wednesday at Wesley Community Center
The Barrio Business Expo is set to take place at the Wesley Community Center this Wednesday.
‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’: Everything We Know About Tatiana Maslany’s New Show
Tatiana Maslany, Jake Johnson, and Murray Bartlett star in an unpredictable, darkly comedic thriller.
Supreme Court will hear from religious preschools challenging exclusion from taxpayer-funded program
The faith-based facilities argue it's unconstitutional to bar them from a taxpayer-funded free preschool program because of their admission restrictions on LGBTQ+ families and kids.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre hosts 2026 Northeast Regional Science Olympiad
The Northeast Regional Science Olympiad returned to Penn State Wilkes-Barre recently, drawing hundreds of middle and high school students to the campus for the annual science competition.
Jenna Bush Hager sits down with former Presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden
The former presidents shared a message for the American people ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in July.
Elon students inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Society
“What’s so brave about being sick?” It’s a question Prosanta Chakrabarty often asked himself in the early days of his ongoing fight against cancer. It wasn’t until initial treatment...
Grand to spin ‘Charlotte’s Web’
The classic tale “Charlotte’s Web” will be performed on the Stanley Subaru Stage at The Grand on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 2, at 1 p.m.
Le Pen, Bardella offer to slash red tape in overture to business leaders
French far-right leaders are on a mission to woo the business community ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Lauren Reid Named to Crain’s New York Business 2026 Women of Influence List
The John Gore Organization president was recognized for breaking barriers in Broadway leadership.
RWJBarnabas Health, Essex County debut mobile pediatric unit and launch community health clinics
RWJBarnabas Health and Essex County have rolled out their mobile pediatric clinic, which provides children with health screenings and more.
Get a taste in photos of Jim's Smokin' Café's barbecue-focused menu
Jim's Smokin' Café owner Jim Morris left the car sale industry and took a chance on starting a barbecue restaurant.
KitKat, Gatorade or granola bars? What’s banned under new SNAP rules are mixed.
Many GOP states are enacting soda and candy bans for food stamp purchases amid MAHA’s healthy food efforts. Some retailers and SNAP users find the new rules complicated.
Small Business Excellence: PaddyShack Golf and Gaming Lounge
Fort Atkinson’s newest golf simulator bar, PaddyShack Golf and Gaming Lounge, is Thrive Economic Development’s Small Business Excellence award winner. The
Barcelona winter signing suffers unfortunate knee injury
Barcelona have been handed a concerning update regarding one of their emerging defensive prospects, Patricio Pacifico, following a worrying incident during the recent Barça Atletic fixture against UE...
Today's 5⃣ stories: Bastoni and Julián want Barça, Bayern champions...
After a weekend in which a lot happened, and ahead of a week in which even more will happen, here are the five stories of the day... These are the stories you can’t afford to miss...Real Madrid will...
3D printing is now possible inside living cells
For the first time, researchers have 3D-printed tiny objects directly inside of living cells, including an elephant and barcode tags.
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Pho…
Barcelona star rejects contract renewal offer
A member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona has knocked back a contract renewal proposal from the club.That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, who highlight Andreas Christensen as the B...
Reynolds, Keller lift Pirates to 6-3 win over Rays
Bryan Reynolds drove in three runs, Mitch Keller pitched seven strong innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Sunday. Reynolds’ two-run single to left field capped a three-run fifth and put the Pirates ahead 4-2. The hit came after Nick Gonzales’ tying single drove in Joey Bart, who hit a leadoff double.