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Dems’ latest Virginia redistricting scheme draws mockery amid major court filing blunder
Democrats are facing Republican ridicule from a former prosecutor after reportedly filing their Virginia redistricting appeal to the wrong Supreme Court
Gamer banned for 7,000 years for leaking Xbox game mocks devs
A Forza Horizon 6 modder known as DVS Squad quickly overcame a ban that was supposed to last multiple lifetimes
iPhone 18 Pro May Have 'Aggressive' Starting Price Despite RAM Crisis
While the ongoing RAM chip shortage is leading some Android smartphone makers to increase prices, one analyst believes that Apple will take advantage of the situation with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In a research note with GF Securities today, analyst Jeff Pu said he expects Apple to outperform in the smartphone market by having an "aggressive pricing strategy" for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
2026 NBA Mock Draft: Clippers take a huge swing at No. 5, Darius Acuff falls to Kings at pick No. 7
Testing and measurements are starting to roll in from the NBA Draft Combine. For this mock draft, the fun likely starts at pick No. 5 when the Clippers are on the clock
Yahoo Sports Mock Draft: The Wizards won the lottery! Here's how every pick could play out now
Yahoo Sports NBA senior analyst Kevin O'Connor checks in with his latest mock draft now that the Wizards are on the clock.
Boston Celtics take Crimson Tide forward in latest mock draft
In ESPN's latest mock draft, the Boston Celtics would take Amari Allen with the 27th pick
Cameras catch Paige Bueckers mocking Caitlin Clark
The Indiana Fever faced off against the Dallas Wings on Saturday in both teams’ season opener. Amazingly, the game was a clash of the WNBA’s last four number one overall picks, Aaliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024) for the Fever, and Paige Bueckers (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026) for the Wings. When the Fever…
NBA Mock Draft 2026: Cameron Boozer falls to Bulls at No. 4 after Grizzlies take Caleb Wilson at No. 3
Gary Parrish's first mock draft after Sunday's lottery has a few surprises
Monroe County CTC health science students respond to mock tornado
Monroe County Career and Technical Center health science students collaborated with first responders April 30 through a mock disaster drill involving a tornado, giving them real-world experience for future careers.
This Commanders' 2026 mock schedule would be lots of fun
Here's our mock schedule for the Commanders in 2026 and why.
NBA Mock Draft 5.0: The Wizards won the lottery! Here's how every pick could play out now
NBA Mock Draft: With 2026 lottery now set, AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1 to Wizards, Darryn Peterson No. 2 to Jazz
Adam Finkelstein's first mock draft after the NBA Draft Lottery set the order for the first 14 picks
Canon EOS R6 V & RF 20-50mm f/4L PZ: Specs, Pricing, and Launch Date
Canon is set to add an all new video camera segment on May 13 with the EOS R6 V and a unique 20-50mm Power Zoom lens. From 7K RAW video to a surprising $2499 price point, here is everything we know.
iPhone 18 Pro’s new A20 chip rumored to bring two major upgrades
The A20 Pro chip for this fall’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra sounds like it could be extra special. Here are its two big rumored upgrades.
How Disneyland Remade American Politics
America is turning 250, and The Free Press is marking the occasion with a yearlong series of events, conversations, and stories celebrating our country’s history. Today, we’re taking a journey with historian Beverly Gage to Southern California. Beverly traded the archives for the open road for her new book, This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History. We’re proud to publish an excerpt, on the theme park that shaped American politics—and the presidents who loved it. —The Editors On July 17, 1955, Ronald Reagan stood near a mocked-up wood-plank town in Anaheim, California, where a 13-star flag flew incongruously over an “Old West” landscape, and introduced the world to Disneyland. He had been invited by Walt Disney himself to co-host the park’s live ABC broadcast, alongside Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings—three Hollywood actors who seemed to embody a wholesome, all-American ethos. From the imagined past of Frontierland, the show leaped ahead to Tomorrowland, set in the far-off year of 1986, emphasizing the technical marvels yet to come: nuclear energy harnessed for civilian purposes, human beings riding rocket ships into space. Disney foretold great things for a 1980s in which the United States would serve as “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” But even he could not predict the most important political fact of the age: that his genial co-host would become president. Southern California was a strange place to build a park about the past, because the region at the time was all about newness and abundance and growth. For a lot of its history, Orange County had been Southern California’s version of flyover country: a vast agricultural expanse between two desirable places, Los Angeles and San Diego. But Disneyland was changing that. Before long, 50 miles south of deep-blue Hollywood, Orange County would become a region famed for its right-wing politics—but also for its mythmaking skills. Those two things, it turned out, went naturally together. ADVERTISEMENT The two presidents Southern California gave America both understood this instinctively. Richard Nixon and Reagan each built a national career on invoking a version of the American past in which the specificities of historical context mattered less than the big picture. For Nixon, progress meant proclaiming a “New American Revolution” on the eve of America’s bicentennial while dismantling the federal programs that had built the postwar middle class. For Reagan, it meant recapturing a lost optimism and an old-fashioned faith in America as an exceptional nation. Both men were less interested in history as it actually happened than in history as it felt—and Orange County, a place that had built itself almost entirely from scratch, turned out to be exactly where the myth of America’s future was getting made. I’m a historian—and historians tend to be myth-busters. With the country’s 250th birthday on the horizon, I figured it was a good time to step out of the ivory tower and check in with the past as it exists here and now, at the museums and monuments and roadside attractions where Americans go to learn about their history. After all my travels—to Davy Crockett’s Tennessee and Texas, to the real Erie Canal, to the birthplace of the American automobile and the actual Old West—I couldn’t miss out on Disneyland, the single most influential historic attraction in U.S. history.
Google Says Pixel Phones Won't Get Apple's Liquid Glass Design
The Android operating system for Pixel smartphones is not going to take design cues from Apple and adopt a Liquid Glass aesthetic, Google Android president Sameer Samat said recently (via 9to5Google). In response to a social media mockup of an Android device with a Liquid Glass design, Samat said, "Not happening! Y'all are wild". The mockup was in response to a teaser video for The Android Show: I/O, which depicted the Android mascot pulling a light switch and turning translucent.
iPhone 18 Pro Rumored to Keep Aluminum Finish Amid Durability Complaints
The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly carry over the same anodized aluminum finish introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, despite concerns from some users about its durability.
Leaker suggests seven new features coming to iPhone 20 – but read with care
Leaker Instant Digital has a decent track record when it comes to iPhones, but their latest post may need to...
Adam Mockler responds to panelist who calls him ‘ungrateful’ to US service members
ACLU sues Palmetto Bay for ‘retaliating’ against Councilman who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death
The complaint claims the Village’s actions not only harmed Cody’s standing but also interfered with voters’ right to representation.
iPhone 18 Pro: Six new features are coming later this year
Here are six new features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which are expected to launch this fall.
The politics of Trump's ballroom
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President Trump was about a half-hour into his second speech of the day, musing about the danger he faced last week at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Saturday night, it was good for one thing. People are loving my ballroom now,” Trump told a crowd last night. “That’s the only thing. They love my ballroom.” Ever since he was hustled off stage at the Washington Hilton last week, after an attempted shooter breached the dinner’s security perimeter and sent guests diving to the floor, the president has argued that the incident is proof for why his White House ballroom is needed. Only his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project, Trump has reasoned, can keep a president truly safe at major events. It’s true that a bunch of GOP lawmakers have jumped on board with new legislation and words of support for Trump’s project. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul and other prominent Republicans went on TV to talk about the need for a ballroom. But as we reported at The Washington Post this week, “people” aren’t really changing their minds on Trump’s ballroom. A new Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that most Americans still oppose the ballroom project: 56 percent against it versus 28 percent in favor. The numbers are the same as a poll from last year, the Post’s polling whiz Scott Clement found. Other new polls have found similar margins, too. “I’m just not a giant fan, especially of extravagance,” one independent voter told me. “I mean, in the era we’re in right now, given how much people are struggling, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to spend $400 million on a ballroom.” How we got here The Washington Post has followed Trump’s ballroom project very closely. (My colleague Jonathan Edwards may have written the most total words of any reporter about the project; I may be second.) The project exploded as a national issue after Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing after initially promising not to touch it.1 Historic preservationists sued, and about a month ago, a federal judge ordered a halt to ballroom construction.2 The only way the ballroom could proceed, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled, was if Congress explicitly authorized Trump’s plans. (An appeals court has stayed Leon’s order for now.) The judge’s ruling raised an obvious question: would Congress authorize the project? Keep in mind, “authorization” doesn’t mean that Congress needs to necessarily fund the planned $400 million project; they could just sign off on the private donations that Trump has solicited to pay for the ballroom.3 But GOP lawmakers really didn’t want to talk about the ballroom, we reported at The Post just a few weeks ago. One major reason was the ballroom’s bad polling — not a small detail with many of their own midterm elections looming. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, and Trump’s advocacy, may have changed the political conversation around the ballroom. As this week’s polling shows, it doesn’t seem to have affected the fundamental questions surrounding the project. To put it another way, voters still say that cost-of-living concerns are top-of-mind heading into the midterms. Some Republican and independent voters have told me that they see the ballroom as a vanity project that will help Trump but do nothing for their own lives. It might not help Republicans that Trump has dismissed some of the cost-of-living concerns. He’s described “affordability” as a buzzword manufactured by Democrats whose policies helped cause inflation. “They’ve got one good line of bullshit,” Trump said in his first speech yesterday, delivered at a Florida retirement community known as The Villages. Thanks for reading Dan Diamond's newsletter! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date on my work. Subscribe Speaking of Trump’s speeches… I’m down in Florida because it’s my “duty week” as a White House reporter — basically, I follow the president wherever he goes. (And then hand the baton off to one of my Washington Post colleagues next week.) As part of my duty week, I’ve spent a few days covering the White House’s reaction to Saturday’s attempted shooting, including officials’ review of the security protocols to protect the president. Trump was restrained in the wake of the incident, addressing the nation from the White House briefing room about the need for peaceful dialogue and trying to lower the temperature. But he’s clearly been itching to get back out of the White House, and I was curious to hear how his Florida speeches would go. And — to my ears — it was an unburdened Trump. Not the one we saw Saturday night in the White House briefing room, but the one we witnessed on the campaign trail in 2024. Loose, dropping profanities, mocking everyone, including members of his team. “We have a man here who knows more about Medicaid, Medicare, medical crap than any human being. Where’s Dr. Oz? Where the hell are you, stand up,” Trump said, referring to Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It’s the most boring trip I’ve ever made. He’s telling me about Medicare, Medicaid. All I want to do is take care of you, I don’t care. I said, ‘You work out the details.’” I wrote up the speech, as Trump headed to West Palm Beach to deliver more remarks a few hours later. The White House didn’t like my story. Their rapid-response team called it the work of a “total loser”4 and “a miserable TDS-ridden moron.” You can be the judge of whether it’s a fair story or the product of someone afflicted with “TDS.” (The White House’s shorthand for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”) I’ve pasted the story below with a gift link, meaning that you don’t need to be a Washington Post subscriber to read it. It might prompt you for an email address, though. Meanwhile, I’ll be down in Florida for the rest of the weekend, covering the president. It’s TBD whether those stories will be deemed TDS-afflicted, too. 1 Jonathan details the past six months of ballroom fallout, reactions and the implications for executive authority here. I also had a great time talking about Trump’s ballroom and other projects with Australia’s ABC News Daily on a podcast this week. 2 The judge allowed underground construction and national security-related work to continue. But that hasn’t been enough for Trump, who says the ballroom itself is essential for his protection. 3 The ballroom donors include companies like Palantir, Google and Amazon. For transparency, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, where I work. No one has ever interfered with our team’s coverage of the ballroom or our mentions of Amazon or Bezos, and if that changed, I’d speak out. 4 To be fair, I’ve spent the morning working on stories and writing this Substack post rather than enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. So they may be onto something about who’s winning and who’s losing.
'Aberdeen not safe yet'
Aberdeen fans, we asked for your views on Friday night's 2-2 draw against Livingston. Chris: To be perfectly honest after last night my worry is Stephen Robinson and his team selection. As time passes my real fear is who Robinson will show the door and who will come in.
One mock draft nails Bengals' biggest long-term concern
The Bengals have a few priority needs they will be drafting very soon.
Trump returns to public events, delivering profane speech
In his first public speech since the White House correspondents’ dinner, the president mocked transgender weightlifters and the “medical crap” an adviser was telling him.
Next year’s iPhone Pro models could get all-new design, quad-curved display
Apple’s rumored 20th anniversary iPhone might actually just be an all-new design that’s coming to next year’s iPhone Pro models.
PlayStation Seemingly Brings Back the DRM Policy Sony Mocked Xbox For in 2013, Sparking Massive Backlash
Sony introduced a 30-day online check-in DRM for new PS4/PS5 digital purchases — the very policy it famously mocked Microsoft for in 2013.
iPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra are coming this year, per report
A new report says Apple’s foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook Pro will be named ‘iPhone Ultra’ and ‘MacBook Ultra,’ respectively.
Melania Trump implies Kimmel should lose his job over ‘expectant widow’ joke
First lady Melania Trump on Monday implied that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel should lose his job due to jokes he made during a mock White House Correspondents’ Dinner skit on his show Thursday night.
Steelers Day Three Mock Draft: Pittsburgh adds another WR
The final mock draft of the year.
Panthers Day 3 mock draft: Predictions for 2026's final rounds
How will the Panthers close out their 2026 NFL Draft? Here are our predictions for Saturday.
The Bear’s Den, April 25, 2026
The Chicago Bears break every mock draft out there with unexpected choices.
2026 NFL Round 4 mock draft: Jermod McCoy finally comes off the board, Cowboys continue defensive investment
Projecting Round 4 as teams seek value wins on the final day of the NFL Draft.
Leaker details next year’s ‘iPhone 20’ display features
Next year is rumored to bring a radical new 20th anniversary iPhone model. Here’s what the latest leaks say about the ‘iPhone 20’ display.
2026 NFL Day 2 mock draft: When do Carson Beck, Garrett Nussmeier come off the board?
Projecting Day 2 picks as teams attack needs and top prospects slide into Rounds 2-3.
2026 NFL Draft: Final Steelers mock draft update
Here is our final Pittsburgh Steelers mock draft, hours before the 2026 NFL draft and it's a full seven round.
From The Sports Desk: Draft day
Read our NBC News NFL mock draft, plus our peek inside the war room.
NFL Draft day is here: Mike Vrabel to miss final four rounds, plus final mocks and bold predictions
Here's everything you need to know about the NFL for April 23
NFL mock draft 2026: We prompted AI to predict the 1st round. Here are its picks
2026 NFL mock draft 9.2: Will Cowboys target WR with their 1st-round picks after George Pickens negotiations stall?
Prisco's final 2026 NFL mock draft: Cardinals stick at No. 3 and take Jeremiyah Love, Giants load up defense
The first round of the NFL Draft could be wild after the Raiders take Fernando Mendoza.
Field Yates goes OL for Rams in final mock draft
The Rams could find their offensive line cornerstone at No. 13 instead of an offensive playmaker.
ESPN draft analyst's final mock is dream scenario for 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers were able to steal a starter at a position of need in a surprise pick in Matt Miller's final mock draft of 2026.
Wilson's final 2026 NFL mock draft: What I'm hearing with Round 1 one day away
One last projection of the top 32 picks as teams finalize plans for the first round
2026 NFL mock draft 9.2: Do Cowboys target WR with their 1st-round picks after George Pickens negotiations stall?
Buffalo Bills Mock Draft: Could WR edge out defense early?
This is one of the more interesting Buffalo Bills drafts to project in recent years, beginning with the No. 26 overall pick.
2026 NFL mock draft 9.2: Here's how 1st round plays out, from Arvell Reese to Chiefs to Patriots nabbing an edge rusher
2026 NFL mock draft: Giants bypass wide receiver in Round 1, but two still taken in top 10
Mystery is what defines the 2026 NFL Draft with little certainty at the top.
NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Darryn Peterson to the Thunder? Here's what happens if the lottery brings us chaos
Detroit Lions get super aggressive in Peter Schrager’s mock draft
Breaking down Peter Schrager’s bold 2026 NFL mock draft for the Detroit Lions.
Adam New’s Final 2026 Vikings Mock Draft
It will soon be upon us. The 2026 NFL draft is now just one day away, so the time has […]
Houston Texans Mock Draft Based Solely On Pre-Draft Visits
Mock draft based on the Texans visits will point you in the right direction
Name of Walz's new 3-word PAC draws immediate online mockery
Gov. Tim Walz launches the Small Town PAC to reach rural voters, but conservatives immediately mocked the effort and blasted his record on social media.
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
My final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos
It’s finally draft week and I’ll be wrapping up my pre-draft coverage with several big boards based around research on George Paton and Sean Payton and their draft tendencies over the next two days. However, for today, I’ll use that research to lay down my final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos. To be […]
2026 NFL mock draft 9.0: Chiefs trade into top 3 in final edition, while Giants find great Dexter Lawrence transition plan
NFL mock draft roundup: Experts predict first round after Dexter Lawrence trade
The Dexter Lawrence trade has shaken up the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's how experts see the draft unfolding in wake of that blockbuster deal.
NFL Draft landing spots for the top 10 QBs, plus what every team should do in the draft and A.J. Brown rumors
The Pick Six newsletter goes all-in on 2026 NFL Draft buzz, mock drafts and trade rumors
Science Lab: Walker’s 7-Round Cowboys Mock Draft for 2026
The one-and-only annual Cowboys' mock draft from 'No C' has officially arrived — fireworks included.
2026 NFL mock draft: 32 reporters make their first-round picks
Reporters who cover their teams on a daily basis predict how the first round of the 2026 NFL draft will unfold in The Times’ beat writers' mock draft.
iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the screen on the devices, which will result in merely a smaller Dynamic Island.
2026 NFL mock draft 9.0: Final edition has Chiefs and Eagles trading up, Giants making post-Dexter Lawrence splashes and much more
2026 NFL Draft: Seven-round full mock draft picks for every team
Predicting every pick of the 2026 NFL Draft and 32 teams' paths to success.
NFL insider 2026 mock draft: What we're hearing around the league
League intel points to trades, a fluid top 10 and a wide-open Round 1 -- with Jermod McCoy falling further than most expect
Philadelphia Eagles' final seven-round mock draft
In a final seven-round mock draft using PFF's simulator, the Eagles prioritize offensive firepower, adding line help, playmakers, and depth ahead of the 2026 season.
WATCH NOW and share your thoughts, WDSU sports 2026 Saints mock draft
WATCH NOW and share your thoughts, WDSU sports 2026 Saints mock draft
2026 NFL mock draft: Trades galore as Patrick Mahomes gets a bodyguard, Cowboys find new face of their defense
Former NFL CB and two-time Super Bowl champion Bryant McFadden predicts all 32 first-round picks
Panic in London! Still top, Arsenal mocked after defeat 😅
Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City in a thriller that felt like a final filled social media with TAUNTS aimed at the Gunners.The Gunners — who had been holding a huge advantage in the Premier Lea...
Apple's major MacBook Pro overhaul is reportedly 'slightly' delayed due to supply chain shortages
A lot of us are impatiently awaiting the next-generation of MacBook Pro, which is expected to feature a bevy of...
The Next Three Canon EOS R Cameras: Launch Dates and Key Specs
reparing for a new Canon body? Here is a clear breakdown of the expected launch timeline and feature sets for the upcoming EOS R8 V, R8 Mark II, and R7 Mark II.
NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don't get a tackle until the fourth round.
2026 NFL mock draft: Commanders trade down after Jeremiyah Love flies off board in top five
Projecting the 2026 NFL Draft's first round with Jeremiyah Love's selection leading to changes.
2026 NFL Draft: CBS Sports mock involves Bills in Round 1 trade
The Bills make a trade in this CBS Sports mock draft.
Maya Tea steeps into the mocktail business
The longtime Tucson tea company just released a line of zero-alcohol spirits, joining a growing trend that's found popularity among Gen Z'ers.
Lions mock draft roundup: Final predictions from 72 experts
Taking a closer look at the prospects from the 2026 NFL Draft that have been projected to the Lions over the past week.
Is This the Retro-Inspired Canon Camera We’ve Been Waiting For?
New Canon EOS R camera certifications suggest the imminent arrival of the EOS R7 Mark II and a highly-anticipated, retro-styled EOS R8 successor.
NFL Mock Draft: Final projections for the entire NFC South
Our final division wide mock draft for the entire NFC South is live.
Tired of 2026 mock drafts? Meet the 32 future stars who could define the 2027 NFL Draft
Jeremiah Smith headlines the list, while Arch Manning cracks top five but isn't QB1
iPhone 18 Pro release date: Here’s when Apple’s new flagship is coming
Apple has new iPhones coming this fall, here’s when to expect the iPhone 18 lineup’s announcement, release date, and more.
2026 NFL mock draft: Cowboys move up for Ohio State star; Cardinals land QB with late trade
Dallas makes a move up the board with the Browns, who add a third first-rounder
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Houston Texans take guard
With the 28th overall pick in the 2026 Bleeding Green Nation community mock draft, Houston Texans GM CrackTheEaglesNut selects ...
2026 NFL mock draft with three options for every pick
There are many ways the top of the 2026 NFL Draft could play out. Here's a look at three options for 31 of the draft's first 32 picks.
Steelers final mock draft update: Top-30 visit edition
We put together a full seven-round Steelers mock draft using only players who were in for Top 30 visits.
49ers make 2 bold picks in 3-round mock draft
The 49ers could use both of their first two picks on offense in the 2026 draft.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: San Francisco 49ers select wide receiver
With the 27th overall pick in the 2026 Bleeding Green Nation community mock draft, San Francisco 49ers GM granthill7 selects ...
Rams trade for star defensive player in new mock draft
If the Rams are truly all-in for 2026, they should consider trading the No. 13 pick for an established star.
2026 NFL mock draft: Cowboys execute one of five first-round trades as every team makes at least one pick
Dallas trades up to No. 6 in our latest mock, plus nine offensive linemen come off the board in Round 1.
UNC Hussman offers new sports play-by-play class | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
This story, written by UNC Hussman alumna Caroline Daly ’24, was originally published on unc.edu. The UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media has a new, hands-on class available for students interested in sports careers. Students in “MEJO 390: Sports Commentary and Play-By-Play” can call live radio broadcasts for Carolina sporting events, streamed live on the Go Heels website. This spring, 11 students are calling mostly softball games to gain experience and learn the preparation needed for a successful broadcast. The class is capped at a small number to provide consistent, individual feedback. Matt Krause, the radio voice of Carolina women’s basketball, teaches the class to help students sharpen their skills, using his experience with the Tar Heels and calling games for ACC Network and ACC Network Extra. “There is no substitute for live reps, and that is the only way you get better. The classroom component teaches you how to get better, but going about that requires sitting in that chair, making mistakes and being able to know your broadcast is going somewhere,” Krause said. “These students are doing real live games, and they will have tape where if they want to pursue this. They will have ready-made demos to send for jobs. Being able to utilize all the resources of UNC, GoHeels Productions and the Carolina Athletics brand and create these opportunities for students is really impactful.” In the class, students learn fundamentals like how to announce starting lineups for different sports and how to conduct research before games. Krause has led the class in mock preparation exercises, looking at game charts with information about the different teams and players that they can refer to at pivotal moments during the game. Krause and the students then critique each other, listening to clips from the past week to find ways to improve. It’s a rare class without a slew of quizzes or assignments. Their main tasks are calling games and making a portfolio or demo reel of their best calls at the end of the semester, all with the goal of being ready to step into similar roles after graduation. Laible live streams her coverage on the GoHeels website. Calling a live game while broadcasting her coverage allows her to get hands on experience. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill) Junior Anna Laible ’27 wished for a class just like this. Her first year at Carolina, she interned with the Coastal Plain League, where she was introduced to play-by-play for baseball. “I enjoy the challenge and uncertainty of each game being different because each sport looks a little different,” said Laible. “Each game is different — not just with teams but what could happen with certain records being broken or random trends. That’s what I enjoy most.” She wanted more opportunities for reps during college to prepare for a career after Carolina, so she pitched an idea for the class to Livis Freeman ’99, distinguished associate professor of sports communication. Laible and Freeman reached out to GoHeels Productions for a partnership and then connected with Krause. “This is how at UNC Hussman we separate ourselves: Our students go into the field ready,” said Freeman. “The biggest compliment we get it is when our students start their careers, they don’t need any hand-holding.” Laible calls a Carolina softball game at Kessing Stadium – after pitching the idea to Hussman faculty. Her interest in sports commentary allowed her to apply her interest as she attends Carolina. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill) Laible is now a student in the class, which has helped her strengthen her skills and deepen her passion for the field. The goal is to expand to other sports like soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. “The hands-on experience I’ve gotten here is invaluable. I’ve loved the classes and professors because they’ve taught me a lot, but it’s also the things outside of class, too, that have helped me grow,” said Laible. “Since being at UNC, I’ve grown a lot in the versatility, from doing writing to production and commentating. UNC Hussman and Carolina have given me the ability to be strong and well rounded.”
Experts predict Cowboys first-round picks in mock draft
The draft clues are dropping left and right.
Panthers mock draft roundup 9.0: Tracking the latest 2026 projections
With the start of the 2026 NFL Draft now one week away, let's look at some of the latest first-round projections for the Panthers.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pathetic 'science of reading' fiasco
Credit Gov. Kathy Hochul with recognizing that New York needs to drastically up its game when it comes to teaching kids to read — but mock her for paying the state teachers' union to produce a...