SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " rule " 2,606 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Charles tamed Trump while rebuking Trumpism in ego-flattering masterstroke
King skillfully appeals to Republicans fond of Britain and Democrats anxious about rules-based order in state visit
Why International Order Still Matters
It is easier to point out the fraying of the existing international order than it is to precisely define what international order is.
Health clinics exempt from drug discount rule change
A major overhaul to a federal drug discount program Indiana officials allege is being misused to generate hospital profits will exempt dozens of clinics serving low-income Hoosiers.
The line between economics and politics is increasingly thin. Here's how leaders can respond
Leaders: Geopolitics is rewriting the rules of global economics; traditional separations between markets and states are dissolving at unprecedented speed.
CFPB Eases Reporting Rules for Small Business Lenders
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has reduced the small business data collection and reporting requirements under the Equal Credit
Scott Clem: What's Changed In My Politics
Columnist Scott Clem writes, "At the GOP convention, a sweeping set of bylaw changes was pushed through under rules that silenced debate. They were…
Florida college sports panel eyes agent rules, NIL trusts
The panel is also considering recommending more oversight of agents working for collegiate athletes, limiting transfers between schools and exempting schools from federal antitrust laws to shield them from lawsuits on compensation.
Businesses applying for tariff refunds after Supreme Court ruling
Businesses across the United States are now racing to recover billions of dollars in tariffs after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled those tariffs, which had been imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, were illegal.
CFPB finalizes a scaled-back small business lending rule
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a new version of a small business lending rule that took 17 years to get over the finish line. Banks are still lobbying for the rule to be repealed.
Senate bans members and staff from trading on prediction markets
A resolution changing the rules of the Senate was passed unanimously, and goes into effect immediately.
After SBTi reset, some wonder if targets are still science-aligned
The old rules required certain companies to commit to unrealistically steep emissions cuts. But do the new regs break with IPCC recommendations on a 1.5-degree future?
After Supreme Court Decision, Louisiana Weighs Redrawing House Maps
It was not immediately clear whether Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, would postpone the May 16 primary election for House races after the court ruled the state’s congressional districts unconstitutional.
Research commissioner pitches EU to US scientists and investors
Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva is just back from a two-day trip to San Francisco, where she pitched the EU as the place to be for US researchers looking to move and US venture capitalists looking to invest. A Commission spokesperson told Science|Business that Zaharieva used the trip to “promote Europe as a stable, rule-based and vibrant innovation destination.” She emphasised Europe’s excellent infrastructure and predictable funding, particularly through the European Research Council (ERC) and Europe Innovation Council.These are already proving tempting, with applications from US-based researchers to ERC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls increasing substantially over the past few years. According to the Commission, the number of US-based applicants for the annual ERC Consolidator Grant call rose from 19 in 2025 to 64 in 2026, while US bids to the ERC Advanced Grant call rose from 23 in 2024 to 114 in 2025. Meanwhile, US applications to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme rose from 352 in 2024 to 998 in 2025.Pressure on US scientists to seek alternative employment has increased since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Jobs at federal science agencies have been slashed, funding cut in some research areas and international scientific partnerships turned upside down. He has also made unprecedented attempts to control university affairs.During her trip, Zaharieva made a point of highlighting the protection of academic freedom in Europe, “especially in areas like climate change, renewable energy, and health, where US funding has faced cuts,” the spokesperson said.She also underlined the EU’s “attractive long-term career opportunities and relocation support for top researchers from anywhere in the world,” especially through its new Choose Europe for Science initiative.“Transatlantic cooperation remains essential to tackle global challenges while safeguarding shared values such as academic freedom and openness,” Zaharieva wrote on social media ahead of her visit.Related articlesERC walks back stricter resubmission rules for 2027Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells EuropeHer itinerary took in Stanford University’s business school and school of medicine, where topics for discussion included entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also met with venture capital firms, including Playground Global, Forgepoint Capital and Akkadian Venture Capital, as well as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US.Other meetings included Jensen Huang, the chief executive of AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, and local business associations such as the Bay Area Council and EuroCham. European delegations in the area also received visits, including Advantage Austria and France’s La French Tech, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco.
Long after 'Liberation Day,' D-FW businesses reckon with tariffs
Even after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled IEEPA tariffs illegal in February, the U.S. and North Texas will continue to live with the consequences of “Liberation Day” for much longer.
Democrats urge CFTC to rein in prediction markets sports betting, insider trading
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., led a letter — first reported by CNBC — to the CFTC asking for stricter rules for companies like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Viewpoint: A career in science is possible, and worth it
Starting a career in science is exciting, but also demanding, with researchers often faced with intense competition, long working hours and high levels of stress. A pioneer in the field of mass spectrometry, Carol Robinson has been there. She speaks with Science|Business on the importance of creating a supportive environment, particularly for women.Robinson did not wake up one day thinking that she would become a scientist. It was only late in school that she developed an interest in chemistry. “The more you work at something, the more you think, actually, this is fascinating. So, I went much further and deeper than I ever needed to pass the exam. And then I loved it,” she says. “I thought, I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to enjoy it while I’m here. But I didn’t think this would be my career for 50 odd years.”She left school at 16 to become a lab technician with the drug company Pfizer, which is where she first worked with mass spectrometry. Fascinated, she was encouraged to take a part-time degree and then a PhD. She went on to do pioneering work in native mass spectrometry, a technique that is used to study protein structures in their natural state, paving the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery. She also broke new ground by becoming the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and then the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford, her current home.She now wants to show young researchers that a career in science is worth it. “Sometimes, I believe the culture isn’t very encouraging, and that’s something I have worked on,” Robinson says.In 2021, she launched the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at Oxford, whose acronym gives a sense of what she hopes it will achieve. “Maybe it is corny,” she says. “It’s just a reminder that I would like it if we could all be kind to each other and supportive, especially for early-career researchers of either gender, because there’s quite a big attrition rate in science, and maybe it just doesn’t feel like a very friendly place to work.”And yet, a career in science comes with a lot of flexibility. “There are few careers where you have that amount of freedom, to go to conferences, to the library. Just because you didn’t see me didn’t mean I wasn’t working,” she says. “And I’m excited to come in every day. So, I don’t want people to think it’s a terrible place.”Gender equality is also important when it comes to the quality of science as a career. “The more women we have, the better it becomes,” Robinson adds.Imposter syndromeAccording to EU data, women outnumber men in university education but account for just about a third of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). And while the number of women working as scientists and engineers in the 27-member bloc is on the rise, their representation remains below that of men, at 41%. This discrepancy is even more pronounced in top-tier functions across these fields, where women fill just 20% of positions.Having supervised many young scientists, Robinson sees that women continue to have a greater propensity than men to doubt their abilities, a feeling she once shared. “When I was doing my PhD at the University at Cambridge, I really felt like an imposter,” she says. “I don’t think I ever felt I deserved to be there or owned it and was proud. I just thought I was lucky.” Later on, she adds, “I was always that person who said, I can’t apply yet because my CV is not strong enough.”She has now made it her job to encourage women to break with this imposter syndrome. For example, rather than calling for volunteers to give a lecture in the groups that she mentors or teaches, which nearly always results in men stepping forward, she goes straight to the women, “because I know they won’t push themselves forward.”But the gender gap in science is not just down to imposter syndrome. The “obvious” reason, Robinson says, and the reason that is on everybody’s mind when discussing workplace gender equality, is the balance between work and raising a family. Her own path was to choose between the two, taking an eight-year break after completing a postdoctoral training fellowship to bring up three children. And she continues to advise women not to work part-time while they raise a family. “You’ll just get half the pay and continue to work full-time because you are not able to fit everything in,” she says. “You should be able to have a family and come back to have the career that you want.”The solution is for men to also take career breaks. “That kind of evens it up, so that it’s not such a big thing for women,” Robinson says. “I always encourage men in my groups to do that. I think it’s important to take your share of the duties.”Support produces resultsAccording to the Women in Stem Network, a UK advocacy group, countries with strong childcare systems and equal pay policies retain more women in technical careers. In Europe, these are primarily found in the Nordic region and parts of central Europe.At the EU level, the European Commission asks all Horizon Europe applicant organisations to have a gender action plan in place. Since this criterion was introduced in 2021, the share of women leading consortia has increased to 31%, against 23% in Horizon 2020. Their overall participation, however, has risen just 1%, to 38%. After trying to weaken the requirement for gender action plans in 2025, the Commission now intends to adopt a plan for supporting women in research and innovation.Related articlesCommission scraps plan to water down gender requirements in HorizonHow gender balance can swing who wins Horizon Europe fundingRobinson herself has benefited from three Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. “I was extremely honoured and privileged to get those, because they really allowed me to fuel my passion,” she says. “Without that, it would have been a much harder slog.”Beyond applying gender rules, she says that more work is needed on translational enterprise, where women are, once again, largely underrepresented. The European Patent Office found that only 13.8% of applications were filed by women in 2022. “We have so many more women doing amazing science; why do they feel it’s not a thing to have a company?” she asks.She founded her own spin-out company, OMass Technologies, in 2016, and remains chair of its scientific advisory board now that it trades as OMass Therapeutics. As for research, Robinson is now studying how changes in the brain may be linked to depression, using port-mortem tissue. “We’re hoping to publish soon,” she says. “We had to consult with a lot of people who knew a lot more about the brain than we did. So, we’ve learnt a lot, and that’s always a lot of fun to learn a new thing. That’s what keeps you going.”
Jacksonville reviewing ‘home occupations’ legislation, covering businesses operated from homes
Jacksonville’s Planning Department is seeking approval to update the city’s zoning code rules for home occupations in Section 656 so they match Florida Statute 559.955.
Fox Sports reveals full lineup of 2026 World Cup match broadcasters
Fox Sports has announced its full lineup of match commentators, reporters and rules analysts for the 2026 World Cup.
April 2026 Tournament Rules Update & Changelog
Updates to Riftbound’s tournament rules explained.
Unleashed Rules FAQ and Clarifications
Sharing clarifications and answering some frequent questions regarding Unleashed’s core rules updates.
Supreme Court limits Voting Rights Act in setback for Black Democrats
The Supreme Court retreats from 1986 rules that called for electing Blacks and Latinos to Congress and state and local boards.
Supreme Court rules Louisiana’s Congressional maps are ‘unconstitutional racial gerrymander’
The ruling will have huge implications for elections not just in Louisiana but across the country.
Portland enacts buffer on music venues, could halt Live Nation development
Opponents of the buffer claimed it was unfair to change the zoning rules after the development was cleared by the planning board. Supporters said a large, corporate venue would endanger the smaller, local venues in town.
Newcastle braced for intense transfer summer
As intense as last summer's transfer window was for Newcastle, there could be even more transfer activity in the coming months as such a rebuild is going to require smart trading, given the financial rules in place. A theory has been put forward externally that Newcastle would benefit from dropping out of European football, as it would enable the club to spend up to 85% of their football-related revenue and net profit/loss from player sales under the Premier League's new squad cost regulations, as opposed to 70% for those competing in Uefa's competitions.
Merman and the New Rules of Branded Entertainment
Little Black Book, With roots in premium TV and a foothold in advertising, Merman is redefining branded entertainment. LBB’s Olivia Atkins examines how the production company blends storytelling, talent and craft to create work that earns attention, travels across platforms and delivers long-term brand value
Meet the AI jailbreakers: ‘I see the worst things humanity has produced’
To test the safety and security of AI, hackers have to trick large language models into breaking their own rules. It requires ingenuity and manipulation - and can come at a deep emotional cost
Afghanistan women: Fifa rule changes allows return to international competition
Afghanistan women will become a "symbol of resilience" after Fifa approved their return to international competition, says former captain Khalida Popal.
Business briefs, April 29
Ventas expects 2026 senior living investments will total $3B by year’s end … RFK Jr.’s recent comments on paid family caregivers ‘deeply concerning,’ advocates say … DHS interim final rule codifying immigration fees goes into effect May 29 … Assisted living provider groups back new HCBS quality measures, with caveats … Fitch rates Lebanon Valley Brethren Home at BBB
Scientists push back against stricter European Research Council grant application rules
In an open letter, scientists call the ERC’s suggestion to block grant reapplications for an additional year “at odds with scientific excellence.”…
Court reverses pause on Epic Games ruling ahead of Apple’s Supreme Court bid
Epic convinced the Court of Appeals to reverse a decision that paused enforcement of a ruling requiring Apple to loosen certain App Store rules.
King Charles’ subtle but striking warning to America
In a new age of revolt, it took a king to remind America of its republican values: the rule of law, democracy and the power of its international example.
‘Open for business, but there are extensive guardrails’: Birmingham weighs data center rules
The city council voted to push their vote on the regulations to the first week of June.
Top Texas Tech football donor says nobody has 'authority' to 'enforce any rules' in college sports right now
Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell told Fox News Digital he has concerns about college sports rule enforcement, calling the governance model broken.
Will Richardson, Elijah Gray punished by NCAA for betting violation
Will Richardson, who transferred to but never played for UAlbany, has been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for a sports betting integrity violation.
Sports Daily: New college eligibility rules could be on horizon
New college-eligibility rules could be on the horizon. What could this mean for the prospects of Wichita State, KU and K-State?
Formula 1 fan survey: Your thoughts on the new regulations, and the sport’s future
We want your take on the 2026 cars, the quality of racing so far, how well you understand the new rules and where we go from here.
Amazon creates 6 rules for engineers building with AI
Amazon's AI-native strategy prioritizes practical AI adoption, emphasizing balance in speed, cost, and control.
Federal appeals court allows Pentagon to temporarily require escorts for journalists
A federal appeals court on Monday ruled the Pentagon can require escorts for journalists inside the building while litigation over the Defense Department’s restrictive press policy continues.
Nuggets rule out Aaron Gordon for elimination Game 5 vs. Timberwolves, who will be without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo
Both teams will be shorthanded Monday as the Timberwolves will play without injured starters Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Business Cash Crunch: 2 Ways To Access Retirement And Brokerage Funds
Business cash flow gaps can happen. Learn two ways to access brokerage and Roth IRA funds, including tax rules, risks, and key limits to consider.
Optimistic Baker: New NCAA eligibility rules not retroactive
NCAA president Charlie Baker, who is "pretty optimistic" the age-based eligibility proposal will pass, told ESPN that the implementation is not expected to include athletes who graduated or exhausted their eligibility in the 2025-26 season.
NCAA's 'five-for-five' eligibility rule moves one step closer to vote
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors advanced talks on a potential rule that would give NCAA athletes five years of eligibility. Here's more:
What are the NCAA’s rules and penalties when it comes to sports gambling?
The NCAA has lessened some penalties for sports gambling, but college athletes are still not allowed to bet on college or pro sports.
Durant sidelined again as Rockets extend series
Udoka said Durant has a bone bruise on his ankle that is painful and he has limited his mobility, but didn’t rule out his return this season.
DeSantis, Florida GOP plowing ahead with new congressional maps despite risks
Remaking Florida’s congressional map is dicey for Republicans, who face strict redistricting rules and risk making safe GOP seats competitive.
UnitedHealth, CVS standardize prior authorization rules
Carriers are racing to deliver on sweeping commitments as Washington tightens the screws
EUDA Health Holdings Limited Receives Nasdaq MVLS Notice with 180-Day Compliance Period to Regain Listing Status
EUDA Health Holdings received a Nasdaq notice for not meeting market value requirements, with a compliance period until October 2026.Quiver AI SummaryEUDA Health Holdings Limited received a notice from Nasdaq on April 23, 2026, indicating that it failed to maintain a Minimum Market Value of Listed Securities of $35 million for 32 consecutive business days, violating Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(2). The notice does not immediately affect the compan
Much-maligned small-business data rule close to finish line
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is poised to finalize a contentious rule mandating the collection of demographic data on small-business borrowers, with the aim of ensuring equal access to credit for women and minority owners.
I used ChatGPT to apply Warren Buffett’s ‘two-list’ rule — and it changed how I set goals
The billionaire’s strategy helped me choose the right goals and ignore the rest
Speakers scold EMC, share health issues at PFAS rules hearing
About 230 crowded into Wilmington's Skyline Center Thursday for the Environmental Management Commission's hearing and dozens spoke, often angrily, about proposed PFAS monitoring and minimization rules.
New York fights DOT decision to withhold nearly $74M in highway money
New York Attorney General Letitia James said the state believes it properly followed all the rules for commercial licenses that were in place at the time they were issued, so it doesn't plan to revoke the licenses.
Sexual misconduct scandals in Washington spark scramble for reforms, expedited investigations
Scandals and resignations have reignited a debate about whether Washington’s rules and institutions for self-oversight can keep pace with the unfolding misconduct.
The Blogs: The Illusion of Neutrality: Unmasking the “No Politics” Rule in Digital Spaces
From the blog of Omi Leissner at The Times of Israel
Texas cooks up new rules for food trucks
Beginning this summer, food trucks across Texas will no longer be bound to city limits.
Giant octopuses may have ruled the oceans 100 million years ago
Giant, fearsome octopuses may have once ruled the ancient seas, according to new research that flips the script on their evolutionary past. By uncovering exquisitely preserved fossil jaws hidden inside rock, scientists revealed that early octopuses from the age of dinosaurs weren’t shy, soft-bodied drifters—they were massive apex predators, possibly stretching up to 20 meters long and crushing prey with powerful bites.
Craig Counsell criticizes "Ohtani Rule" as Cubs rally past Dodgers
The Sporting Tribune's Fredo Cervantes writes about the Cubs win and Craig Counsell's recent comments on the "Ohtani rule".
Texas agency finds Camp Mystic emergency plan insufficient, risks not opening for summer
Camp Mystic has 45 days to revise its emergency plan after Texas officials said that it does not yet fully comply with new rules for youth camps.
Texas agency finds Camp Mystic emergency plan insufficient, risks not opening for summer
Camp Mystic has 45 days to revise its emergency plan after Texas officials said that it does not yet fully comply with new rules for youth camps.
Court rules Buffalo comptroller must issue bonds for proposed capital project
Mayor Ryan says the new decision will allow Buffalo to move forward with critical infrastructure projects.
As Sports Leagues Hitch to Polymarket, Scrutiny Grows
President Donald Trump criticized prediction markets this week after the DOJ charged a user who allegedly broke platform rules and U.S. laws.
Business owners reflect on long-planned street upgrades in downtown Noblesville
Embrace Downtown is underway, the plan that envisions a pedestrian-friendly plaza, wider sidewalks, places to sit, and parking rules that are more consistent and easier to understand.
North Carolina businesses urged to use new portal for refunds after tariffs ruled illegal
North Carolina businesses impacted by the federal government's tariffs that were later ruled illegal are being urged to seek refunds through a new portal.
Simple rule for high-protein snacking helps nutritionist hit 100g goal
A nutritionist who worked in high-end kitchens for 10 years uses a formula to make his high-protein snacks delicious and nutritious.
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.
Meet the 19 metre octopus that may have prowled ancient seas
Giant octopuses may have ruled the oceans 100 million years ago, according to fossil evidence.
Trump DOJ Moves to Reschedule Cannabis, Orders New Expedited Hearing
U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order to reschedule cannabis and set deadlines for a new DEA hearing.
Republicans pressure Ron DeSantis to redistrict in Florida after Virginia Democrats’ win
Senior Republicans in Washington are ramping up the pressure on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to lead a redrawing of his state’s US House map after Virginia Democrats triumphed in potentially flipping four seats in their favor. A special session to consider redistricting in Florida is slated to start Tuesday, but no map has been publicly released. A DeSantis spokesperson did not respond to a CNN inquiry about its status. Key Republicans involved in redistricting say they’ve been kept largely in the dark on DeSantis’ plans. There’s no coordination on the state level because of strict state rules around partisan gerrymandering, and no maps have been officially circulated within Florida’s congressional delegation either.
Sebastian Vettel: Divisive 2026 rules risk "DNA and heart" F1
The four-time world champion believes that Formula 1 must be careful not to lose its “DNA” as the 2026 regulations divide drivers and fans
Medicaid breakthrough comes with unexpected immigration mandates
North Carolina’s Medicaid package progresses, but immigration rules are raising concerns about families avoiding care and losing access.
Ohio Supreme Court guts ‘submetering’ business
PUCO commissioners have ruled that submeterers are not public utilities and are therefore not regulated by the PUCO.
Ohio Supreme Court guts ‘submetering’ business
PUCO commissioners have ruled that submeterers are not public utilities and are therefore not regulated by the PUCO.
I used Jeff Bezos’ 'Day 1' rule to fix my ChatGPT workflow — and it actually killed my procrastination
Adopting this rule helped me more proactive and avoid putting things off
Ace tanks spearhead vehicular carnage with new Armoured Gauntlet rules
Fight big armoured battles with the new Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick expansion.
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.
Kalshi Fines and Suspends 3 Political Candidates for Betting on Their Races
The prediction market said the candidates violated new rules as it faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators over how political betting is policed.
Mariners P Logan Gilbert accidentally catches line drive in his jersey but doesn't get the out
The MLB rulebook addresses this exact situation.
AI-powered robot beats elite table tennis players
In feat hailed as milestone in robotics, Sony AI’s Ace wins three out of five matches played under official rules
Monroe County hosting another town hall Wednesday on SNAP work-rule changes
Wednesday's town hall is happening at the Edgerton R-Center on Backus Street from 5 - 6:30 p.m.
My grandmother sold homemade tamales. Today’s rules wouldn’t allow that.
Home chefs should be able to build a business in Colorado.
I asked ChatGPT to use Charlie Munger’s ‘Inversion rule' to rethink my goals — and it beat every productivity app
AI made me see my own behaviors as "success killers" and it was the reality check I needed
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.
Victor Wembanyama enters concussion protocol after scary Spurs moment
Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the rest of Game 2 of the Spurs’ opening round series with the Trail Blazers.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama leaves Game 2 vs. Portland early, enters concussion protocol after smacking face on court
The Spurs quickly ruled Victor Wembanyama out for the rest of the game after placing him in concussion protocol.
Sen. Rand Paul introduces hemp regulation bill
Under the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, states and tribal governments could get an opt-out of federal rules to take full control of hemp regulation.
Drought restrictions 'a bit of a nightmare,' business owner says
The City of Raleigh says inspectors are out in neighborhoods making sure people understand and follow the new watering rules.
Apple’s Cal AI crackdown signals it’s still policing the App Store
Apple tells TechCrunch Cal AI was removed not for web payments alone, but for deceptive billing, manipulative tactics, and App Store rule violations.
Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Thinks the Ohtani Rule is 'Bizarre'
Cubs manager Craig Counsell thinks a Major League Baseball rule that allows the Los Angeles Dodgers to carry 14 pitchers because of Shohei Ohtani is “bizarre."
House Ethics Committee Weighs Punishment for Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick
The House Ethics Committee will meet Tuesday to determine what punishment they will recommend for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick with Republicans calling for expulsion. The ethics panel found that the Florida Democrat violated 25 House rules and ethical standards. She is also accused of stealing $5 ...
On the Hill: Health Care Reauthorizations, Congressional Hearings
House leaders plan votes this week on reauthorizing rural health and telehealth programs, as well as a proposed directive on lung cancer research. Legislation to be taken up under suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage, includes H.R. 2493, which would reauthorize rural health care grants through fiscal 2030, and has been unanimously approved by the House […]
From Donald Trump to Jacob Frey — has politics lost its profanity filter?
If there was ever a set of rules for politicians interfacing with the public, steadfast avoidance of profanity might have been at the very top of such a list. Robert’s Rules of Order, which are often invoked in political spaces, certainly prohibit personal insults, including profanity. But these are new times. Just last week, President Donald Trump […]
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
Supreme Court’s high-stakes term could reshape presidential power, immigration, voting rights
The Supreme Court’s term is packed — birthright citizenship, presidential removals, voting rules, transgender sports and more. Constitutional law expert Rod Sullivan joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this week’s episode of Politics & Power to discuss what’s at stake and why it matters to you.
Da Speedwaaagh! begins with two new Ork Detachments
Join Wazdakka’s lads for a high-speed krumpin’ with new Warhammer 40,000 rules.
The $166 Billion Tariff Refund Portal Is Now Open: How Your Business Can File a Claim Today
A new federal portal opened Monday, giving importers their first chance to recover duties ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Public Services Committee to review 1,260-acre Cox Ranch business park annexation
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — City Council members will consider supporting a resolution to overrule the Cheyenne Planning Commission today as they weigh a proposed
Metro Atlanta city approves open container rules for entertainment districts
The city will revisit how it’s working at the end of this year and again next April.
Metro Atlanta city approves open container rules for entertainment districts
The Avenue, a shopping center in Peachtree City, has requested an Entertainment District designation to allow people to walk around with drinks sold on site.
This Alien Solar System Doesn’t Follow the Rules – and Scientists Are Intrigued
The LHS 1903 system defies expectations with a rocky outer planet, prompting new ideas about how planets form and evolve.
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.