Culture

The hidden poisoners of the Victorian Era. — In 1850, during the Victorian Era, the average life expectancy for men was 40 years. For women, it was two years more. Since then, the average human life span has risen to around 72 years. That 30-year difference has been achieved mainly with better medical care. …

Why the Climate Bill Matters More — And Less — Than You Think — OK team. Gather ‘round. We’re going to do something dangerous today. Talk like adults. The Democrats’ new Climate Bill. Game-changer? History-changer? Generally, speaking, you judge just how vital and important and intelligent a piece of legislation is by how loudly and angrily the American right opposes it. And in this…

Give us your reviews of these solo songs from the members of The Beatles — In this new edition of the Rate-A-Record series that has been sweeping the entire internet (well, at least parts of it) like crazy during the summer of 2022, let’s take a look at one solo song from each of the four members of The Beatles. Although most of these songs…

It’s time we stopped making up excuses for men’s bad behaviour — Dogs understand consent. Children understand it, too. And since it’s the one necessary thing that has to be the cornerstone of all interactions, sexual or otherwise — at school, at work, in bars — you’d think that no grown adult should ever have an issue understanding what it is. But…

A British lawyer went to buy some items to decorate his house on the request of his wife, but came back with something decidedly larger and unexpected — There are few places on earth as instantly recognizable as England’s Stonehenge. The huge prehistoric stone monument in Salisbury has mystified historians and archaeologists through the years as to exactly their true origins. For a lengthy period of time, the landmark was held in private ownership, including a century ago…

And conservatives don’t mind that at all, so long as those politics are the “right” kind — In his relentless war on all things “woke,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — a likely candidate for president in 2024 — wants America to believe he is merely standing tall against the forces of leftist extremism. He began with schools by restricting curricular materials concerning LGBTQ folks or suggesting racism…

How America Never Developed the Power to Grow Into a Modern Democracy — When you look at America, what do you see? Authoritarian collapse, obviously. But in the years preceding it? School shootings. People dying for lack of basic medicines, like insulin. Skyrocketing prices for the basics of life, whether healthcare, education, finance, or housing. Old people who will never retire, and young…

They’re not. — I’m just going to say it. Dan Bilzerian is not a genius. In fact, I didn’t even know who he was until I stumbled across some articles and tweets describing him as one, praising the toxic lifestyle he promotes on Instagram and his ability to market it. Then I learned…

Ellen relentlessly pressured her to act interested in dating, but Saoirse Ronan never gave in — In 2018, when Ellen still had her show, I watched a clip in which she kept trying to get Saoirse Ronan to care about a game of picking the guy she would most want to date, despite Ronan signaling in all sorts of ways that she just wasn’t into it…