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Michael Jackson streams skyrocket after 'Michael' biopic opening weekend, up 95% in the US
Michael Jackson sang “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” | KMBZ
Reporters covered the correspondents' dinner shooting in real time. Conspiracy theories still spread
Conspiracy theories flooded the internet minutes after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner attended by President Donald Trump | 830 WCCO
Oprah Winfrey’s podcast lands at Amazon as part of multiyear deal
Oprah Winfrey's podcast is headed to Amazon | KMBZ
UAE Employment and Social Reforms 2026: Modernization or Business as Usual?
A flurry of employment law reforms in the United Arab Emirates—a business-friendly area that remains firmly rooted in traditional values and national identity—in recent years has caught the attention of multinational employers and expatriates alike, but do these changes represent a genuine shift toward Western-style liberalization, or are they pragmatic adjustments designed to maintain competitiveness while preserving the status quo? Below are some of the key developments and what they mean for employers operating in the region.
Sergey Brin Moves to the Right, With a ‘MAGA Girlfriend’ by His Side
After once backing liberal causes, the Google co-founder has praised President Trump, donated to Republicans and spent $57 million to try to block a California billionaire tax.
Scaling the digital future: Why AI and skills investments matter for business and society
It is important to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and the people who will shape our future. Learn more about how AI combined with skills investments matters for business and society.
Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s bee-hived pop band the Ronettes, dies
Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the Ronettes, has died at 80 | KMBZ
Melanie C says she's bringing joy to the club with 'Sweat,' an athletic album from the Spice Girl
Melanie C, also know as Mel C or Sporty Spice from the game-changing ‘90s girl group the Spice Girls, will release a new album on Friday | WBEN
Watchdog report exposes teachers' union 'political machine' funneling more than $1 billion to liberal causes
New reports reveal teachers unions poured over $1 billion into left-wing political causes in the past decade, according to Defending Education.
Mobilizing parliamentary leadership to protect women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in times of crisis: PMNCH at the 152nd IPU Assembly
At the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye (15–19 April 2026), PMNCH called on global parliamentary leaders to prioritize women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (WCAH) as a cornerstone of peace, justice and sustainable development. Bringing together over 1,500 delegates from 126 countries, the Assembly underscored the urgent need for coordinated parliamentary action to protect essential health services, strengthen financing and advance accountability in the face of growing global crises.
The News Anchor Who Keeps Politics Out of the Dog Park
Dana Perino, a news anchor and former White House press secretary, wrote her first romance novel about liberal women and conservative men in Wisconsin.
EPIC Entertainment Group
A US-wide rollout of immersive experiences responds to growing demand for narrative-driven visitor experiences
Noctua says “feel free” to 3D print your own Noctua fans after releasing public CAD models online
Noctua has long been a go-to brand for PC building enthusiasts, and now, the company has released a library of free 3D models to explore.
Distracting from unfinished business
North Carolina House Republicans introduced a bill Thursday that would ban books from elementary school libraries and allow the state to withhold salaries from school district leaders who violate the state law known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.”
Low-ego design teams | invisible ROI for attractions
Why humility, not hero designers, is becoming the industry’s most valuable asset
Virginia Supreme Court considers whether to block voter-approved US House map favoring Democrats
The Virginia Supreme Court is considering whether to block new U.S. House districts narrowly approved by voters | KMBZ
Healing Divides in the Eastern Mediterranean: How Health Systems Can Become Bridges to Peace in Conflict Zones
Health systems, if deliberately designed, can help rebuild trust in societies fractured by war in the Eastern Mediterranean.
New research shows men still outnumber women as experts in science news
A five-year study of Australian media found three quarters of science stories quoted men.
Why Quality Health Information May Drive Health Outcomes
Widespread use of online medical content and AI tools is reshaping decision-making and raising concerns about misinformation.
Latest attack threatening President Trump reflects rising political violence in US
The moral dimension of political polarization in the US, where each side views the other as immoral, helps fuel attacks like the one against Trump at the Washington Hilton.
'More Destruction of Science': Trump Fires Every Member of US National Science Board
"This is the latest stupid move made by a president who continues to harm science and American innovation."
'Michael' moonwalks to $97 million opening, shattering record for music biopics
“Michael,” the big-budget Michael Jackson spectacle, shrugged off bad reviews and a troubled production to launch with $97 million in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, shattering a record debut for music biopics | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
'Michael' moonwalks to $97 million opening, shattering record for music biopics
“Michael,” the big-budget Michael Jackson spectacle, shrugged off bad reviews and a troubled production to launch with $97 million in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, shattering a record debut for music biopics | KNSS Radio
'Michael' moonwalks to $97 million opening, shattering record for music biopics
“Michael,” the big-budget Michael Jackson spectacle, shrugged off bad reviews and a troubled production to launch with $97 million in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, shattering a record debut for music biopics | Talk 1370
'Michael' moonwalks to $97 million opening, shattering record for music biopics
“Michael,” the big-budget Michael Jackson spectacle, shrugged off bad reviews and a troubled production to launch with $97 million in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, shattering a record debut for music biopics | WBEN
Movie tells tale of Tokyo toilet cleaner
Wim Wenders’ 2023 film “Perfect Days” will be screened at the Blue Hill Public Library on Saturday, May 9, at 2:30 p.m.
Titans draft pick Fernando Carmona explains Liberty Bowl stomping incident
Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Fernando Carmona, drafted in the fifth round, explained his stomping incident from the 2024 Liberty Bowl.
Docu-concert to recall Tin Pan Alley
The Blue Hill Public Library will present a docu-concert, “Time Travel to Tin Pan Alley,” featuring century-old jazz standards performed by Ann Delaney, voice, Dan Barrett, trombone, and Scott Cleveland,
Philadelphia museum brings Rocky statue inside after decades of tension
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is embracing a statue it once kept at arm’s length | Talk 1370
Manitowoc letters to the editor on politics, county service, books
This week’s Herald Times Reporter letters cover politics, public imagery, county service and Little Free Libraries, plus how to submit a letter.
Michigan group pushes to get big money out of politics
A new push to limit corporate money in Michigan politics appears to be gaining traction.There is strong bipartisan support for restricting political contributions from regulated monopolies and companies seeking government contracts, according to a survey commissioned by supporters of the proposal. S...
Screenwriters overwhelmingly approve a 4-year contract with Hollywood studios
Members of the screenwriters union have ratified a four-year agreement with Hollywood studios | Talk 1370
Welcome to the Resistance, Gerrymandering Texas Republicans
The new congressional seats Texas Republicans delivered for Trump by redistricting appear to have been canceled out—and then some—by Democratic states. Oops.
This Rare Sports Car Sold by Jim Farley Has a Surprising Ford Backstory
The 1972 DeTomaso Pantera recalled Ford’s work with Italian carmakers from the 1970s, which brought Detroit muscle to European exotics.
UI Health Care plans $24M expansion of N. Liberty hospital
A year after opening its $525M North Liberty hospital, UI Health Care is seeking approval for another $24M in construction to expand the campus.
Huitt-Zollars
The collaboration supports TEA's mission and strengthens the firm's ability to partner globally
UN expert criticizes Libya political division, national election delays
Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (SMIL), Hanna Tetteh, on Wednesday briefed the Security Council on how Libya's political leaders have delayed implementation of the political roadmap intended t...
U.S. Forging a Healthier Oceania Through Trump Administration's America First Global Health Strategy Through Bilateral Health Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in China
United States Forging a Healthier Oceania Through Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy Through Bilateral Health Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea Press Statement Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson April 23, 2026 Yesterday the United States and Papua New Guinea signed a five-year bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy. The landmark health MOU focuses on effectively addressing emerging infectious diseases and ongoing outbreaks, building and maintaining surge-response capacities, and enabling Papua New Guinea’s government to independently manage new health threats before they spread internationally. Working with Congress, the United States intends to provide $15 million through December 2030 through the jointly decided health MOU, building on decades of progress in reducing HIV infections and transmissions in Papua New Guinea. The government of Papua New Guinea intends to allocate up to $3 million to disease control programs and strengthen health systems at the national and provincial levels. Up to $5 million under the health MOU will directly support global health security funding, advancing our shared commitment to health security in the region. Through the signing of this $18 million MOU, we are bolstering infectious disease prevention and response by leveraging cost-effective, nationally-driven approaches, with the goal of increasing Papua New Guinea’s health system self-sufficiency. America First Global Health Strategy Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed so far represent more than $20.6 billion in new health funding, including more than $12.8 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, building on decades of progress fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases around the world. As of April 22, the State Department has signed 32 bilateral global health MOUs with Angola, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, and Uganda.
Moment of Science: Discovery of Galileo’s notes opens window into astronomy history
Turning back the pages through centuries of science! Dan Smith has the story of an Italian historian's incredible find on a library shelf. 🔭📜
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced's Collector's Edition Includes a Gorgeous Statue and Is Available for Preorder Now
Everything you need to know to preorder Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, including pricing, availabilibty, release date, and more.
Orange County libraries offering business help, cooking classes and live performances
Orange County Library System will offer free business workshops, cultural programs, family activities and heritage month events across its branches throughout May.
Michael Tilson Thomas, renowned conductor and composer, dies at 81
Renowned American conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas has died at 81 | Talk 1370
Slovenia TV says it won't air Eurovision song contest after pulling out
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia won’t air the Eurovision Song Contest this year after the small European country previously pulled out of the event over Israel’s participation | Talk 1370
Slovenia TV says it won't air Eurovision song contest after pulling out
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia won’t air the Eurovision Song Contest this year after the small European country previously pulled out of the event over Israel’s participation | WWL
Maggie Gyllenhaal to lead Venice Film Festival jury
Maggie Gyllenhaal is set to lead the main competition jury for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT
Women in science – global study finds presence without power
Women make up one in three researchers worldwide, but they remain sidelined in scientific organisations.
House Republicans Ask ActBlue C.E.O., Regina Wallace-Jones, to Testify
The request is a significant escalation of G.O.P. pressure on the liberal fund-raising organization over its vetting of donations.
Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny top Spotify's first all-time most streamed artists list
Taylor Swift has topped Spotify’s first ever list of the most streamed artists of all time | Talk 1370
Shade lands $14M to let creative teams search their video libraries in plain English
Shade has its own filesystem that lets you "stream" files directly to your local drive
Tiny town in North Carolina honors towering Andre The Giant with roadside marker
Wrestler and actor Andre The Giant is being honored with a roadside marker in a small town in North Carolina that was once his home | KMBZ
Are malls dying? University Park Mall shoppers, business owners weigh in
Some shoppers say they think malls are dying, but the general manager for University Park mall suggests it is very much alive.
A flawed diagnosis of Cuban health care
Progressives who praise communist systems just prove how gullible they are.
A first for the Tack Lecture: Business, AI and the liberal arts
Rachel Chung will present a lecture on “Wisdom & Machines: How Liberal Arts & AI Learn from Each Other.”
Unique door helps kids learn science and engineering
The so-called “STEM Door” at McAuliffe Elementary School in the Cimarron Hills area does more than separate the library from the STEM Lab. Educators described it as a way to help students understand a range of scientific concepts.
Our unsung hero of science: Friedrich Miescher, the man who discovered DNA
Working on human pus in a medieval castle, Miescher discovered a substance that would eventually unlock our understanding of how life works.
Dave Mason, co-founder of Traffic known for 'We Just Disagree' and 'Feelin’ Alright,' dies at 79
Dave Mason, co-founder of the psychedelic British band Traffic and songwriter behind “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe,” died Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada | KMBZ
Business News: Breitling’s House Of Brands Unveils New Executive Leadership With Georges Kern As Group CEO
Industry veteran and former Richemont executive Jean-Marc Pontroué to become new Breitling CEO in May.
An Instagram DM changed everything for Rachel Reid, Jacob Tierney and 'Heated Rivalry'
Rachel Reid and Jacob Tierney were sensations at BookCon, thanks to the success of “Heated Rivalry.” | Talk 1370
Virginia Evans and Susan Choi are among 6 finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Four debut novelists are among the six finalists for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, announced Wednesday | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Virginia Evans and Susan Choi are among 6 finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Four debut novelists are among the six finalists for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, announced Wednesday | 830 WCCO
Can stress affect sperm? What men should know about fertility
Most men know stress can affect the libido. But they don’t realize stress may also affect sperm health. Here’s what men can do to produce healthy sperm.
The year’s weirdest game is hard to explain and even harder to put down
Welcome to Titanium Court.
Business News: Timothée Chalamet Joins Urban Jürgensen As Minority Partner And Creative Advisor
This marks the first time the Golden Globe-winning American-French actor and producer has taken on a partnership with a company.
LIVE: Suspect killed after officer-involved shooting at Asheville business
Officials said the suspect died in the hospital on Wednesday.
Senate hearings with RFK Jr. put Cassidy’s competing loyalties to Trump and science on display
Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a tough situation as he prepares to question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in two Senate hearings | WWL
Senate hearings with RFK Jr. put Cassidy’s competing loyalties to Trump and science on display
Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a tough situation as he prepares to question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in two Senate hearings | 97.3 The Sky
Opinion | Seizing Property Can’t Be ‘Business as Usual’
From California to Hong Kong, asset seizure—whether a wealth tax or communist crackdown—discourages growth and liberty.
A former Missouri lawmaker wins back thousands of dollars seized after sexual misconduct allegations
A former Missouri lawmaker who was censured over sexual misconduct allegations has won a court case to recoup thousands of dollars seized from his salary as a penalty | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics
STORY: :: Fed chief nominee Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics:: Washington, D.C. / April 21, 2026:: Kevin Warsh, Federal Reserve chief nominee“Monetary policy independence is essential. Monetary policymakers must act in the nation's interest. Their decision is the product of rigor, deliberation and unclouded decision-making. And as Senator Warren said, I do not believe that independence of monetary policy is threatened when elected officials state their views on rates. Fed independence is up to the Fed." // :: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Democrat on Senate Banking Committee“So, independence takes courage. Let's check out your independence and your courage. We'll start easy. Mr. Warsh, did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”WARSH: “Um, we try to keep politics, if I’m confirmed, out of the Federal Reserve.”WARREN: “I’m just asking you a factual question. I need to know. I need to measure your independence and your courage.”WARSH: “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”WARREN: “That’s not the question I’m asking. I’m asking did Donald Trump lose in 2020?”WARSH: “And I’m suggesting to you in 2020…”WARREN: “I’m suggesting you can’t answer that.”WARSH: “… the Fed had a huge inflation problem, and you certified the election…[crosstalk]… let’s keep the politics out of monetary policy.” //WARREN: "Just one little place where you disagree with Donald Trump.”WARSH: “Well, I do have a disagreement actually, Senator, with the president. I think even this morning, he said that he thought I was out of central casting. I think central casting, I'd look older, grayer, maybe show up here with a cigar of sorts.”WARREN: “Quite adorable. But, you know, we need a Fed chair who is independent. That's the only way we preserve the independence of the Federal Reserve. If you can't answer these questions, you don't have the courage and you don't have the independence.”In a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee that quickly hinted at major changes to come at a Warsh-led Fed, the 56-year-old lawyer and financier blamed the central bank for an inflation surge in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to hurt U.S. households.Warsh's hearing quickly turned contentious. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Warsh on his independence and "courage", saying President Donald Trump had made clear Warsh would be his "sock puppet".
South Florida tops WalletHub list of 10 best cities to start a business
According to a new report by personal finance company WalletHub, Miami and Hialeah, Florida, are among the 10 best large cities to start a business in.
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
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...
Alzheimer’s drugs offer little benefit, major review finds – and the reasons go deeper than the science
Alzheimer’s research shows what happens when funding pressures and vested interests corrupt the pursuit of scientific truth.
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
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