Stream of Reading (Prepare to be Forwarded) – An Archive of What I'm Reading
CNN commentator Van Jones — guesting on “State of the Union” on Sunday — channeled many on the left in denouncing “the Clinton days” of the Democratic Party, which he said were characterized by centrism and unabashed corporatism. “You have to understand, I think, that the Clinton days are over,” Jones told host Jake Tapper. “This…
Rogue One is a great addition to the Star Wars universe because it takes a glaringly stupid plot mechanism—the exhaust port vulnerability in the Death Star—and attributes it to an architect’s sabotage. One of the dumbest things about the Star Wars franchise then becomes something sad, poignant, and believable. But Rogue One also raises…
Herbert Whitehouse was one of the first in the U.S. to suggest workers use a 401(k). His hope in 1981 was that the retirement-savings plan would supplement a company pension that guaranteed payouts for life. Thirty-five years later, the former Johnson & Johnson human-resources executive has misgivings about what he helped start. What Mr. Whitehouse and…
Anxious about the widespread consumption and spread of propaganda and fake news during this year’s election cycle, many progressives are calling for an increased commitment to media literacy programs. Others are clamoring for solutions that focus on expert fact-checking and labeling. Both of these approaches are likely to fail — not because they are bad ideas,…
Donald Trump is both addicted to media attention and prone to lying to suit his own needs. There is no reason—none—for journalists to allow him to harangue them off-the-record. So stop. What, exactly, is accomplished by “off the record” meetings between journalists and political figures? A simple breakdown: Politicians gain: A chance to convince journalists…
Choristers of St Paul’s Cathedral sing Christmas carols on Monday at the cathedral in London. If something is not done soon, these people of faith will soon be grabbing Chinese food and a movie! (Luke MacGregor/Reuters) Spoiler Alerts will mostly be on hiatus for the rest of 2014. But before I wish you all a…
I deactivated my Twitter account today. It was more of a spontaneous impulse than a New Year resolution, although it does feel like a juice cleanse, a moulting, a polar-bear plunge, a clean slate (except the opposite – like throwing your slate into a volcano and running). One moment I was brains-deep in the usual…
Andrew Cuomo wants to be loved. He wants to run for president. He is also the embodiment of a morally bankrupt Democratic Party that has failed, at every juncture, to live up to any of the ideals it purports to hold dear. Andrew Cuomo is a snake. He should be allowed nowhere near the 2020…
Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the majority leader, at the Capitol on Tuesday. He opposed the move against the Office of Congressional Ethics. Credit Stephen Crowley/The New York Times WASHINGTON — It was supposed to be a triumphant morning for Republicans on Capitol Hill — a moment to demonstrate the merits of unified party rule…
The Entire History of the World—Really, All of It—Distilled Into a Single Gorgeous Chart /header The Vault is Slate‘s history blog. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @slatevault, and find us on Tumblr. Find out more about what this space is all about here. This “Histomap,” created by John B. Sparks, was first printed by Rand McNally in 1931….