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Dignity Health doctor addresses vaccine myths on National Infant Immunization Week
This week marks National Infant Immunization Week, a reminder for parents to check their children's shot records.
SDOL school board appoints new Interim Business Administrator
Board members of the School District of Lancaster unanimously voted to appoint Charles Linderman as the district's Interim Business Administrator.
High school sports results for Tuesday, April 21, 2026
TUESDAY’S RESULTS Baseball CITY LEAGUE Obama Academy 12, Carrick 0 (5) Westinghouse 13, Perry 8 WPIAL CLASS 6A Section 1 Butler 2, Central Catholic...
Shooting Jr. World Cup continues; Asian Beach Games begin: Indian Sports LIVE, April 22
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on April 22, 2026.
FSU basketball: Thomas Bassong changes mind, enters transfer portal
Welcome to the modern era of college athletics. After announcing his return to Florida State less than two weeks ago, forward Thomas Bassong instead will be entering the transfer portal. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. Bassong enters on the final day of the portal window, as the 21st marks the final […]
Prep baseball roundup: Birmingham, behind Carlos Acuna, stays one game behind ECR
Carlos Acuna strikes out 11 in six innings in Birmingham's 8-0 win over Granada Hills.
Public News Service Story: Michigan group pushes to get big money out of politics
This story was originally published by Public News Service. By Chrystal Blair, producer Public News Service April 21, 2026 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
Westfield whiskey seller to make way for indoor golf and entertainment venue
A Hamilton County whiskey distillery and restaurant will be selling its hospitality and real estate assets to an indoor golf and social entertainment club, said a news release issued Tuesday morning.
Ancient DNA reveals a hidden Neanderthal group frozen in time
A remarkable genetic breakthrough has uncovered what may be one of the clearest snapshots yet of a Neanderthal “community” living together 100,000 years ago in what is now Poland. The findings reveal that these individuals shared genetic ties with Neanderthals spread across Europe and the Caucasus, hinting at widespread ancient lineages that later disappeared.
Grads Credited on Multiple Winners at 2026 Entertainment Industry Award Shows
Full Sail University alumni were credited on winning movies, shows, and video games at 2026 industry awards, like the MPSE Awards, BAFTAs, CAS Awards, and VES Awards.
Scientists stunned as JWST finds ice clouds on a giant alien planet
Scientists have discovered unexpected water-ice clouds on a distant, Jupiter-like exoplanet, challenging current atmospheric models. By directly imaging Epsilon Indi Ab with the James Webb Space Telescope, they found less ammonia than expected—likely hidden by thick, patchy clouds. The finding reveals new layers of complexity in giant planets and shows how much we still have to learn.
State prison officials are grappling with a crisis behind bars
NY1 went inside one of the state’s largest prisons — Green Haven Correctional Facility — for an exclusive look beyond its walls.
9 in 10 Americans say brain health is important, but Alzheimer’s report finds most don’t know how to maintain it
While nearly 9 in 10 adults say brain health is very important, only a small number say they actually know how to maintain it, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association.
Westfield whiskey seller to make way for indoor golf and entertainment venue
West Fork Whiskey Co. sells its hospitality and real estate assets to Stick & Hack, an indoor golf and social entertainment club in Indiana.
US oil prices rise as US-Iran peace talks remain uncertain
U.S. crude futures rose in early trade on Wednesday, despite Washington's announcement that it would indefinitely extend a ceasefire with Iran, as uncertainty over peace talks persisted and the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed.
How Al Gore Politicized Climate Science
An Inconvenient Truth turns 20 next month. In the 2006 documentary, former vice president Al Gore argued that human-driven climate change was an urgent, civilization-threatening crisis. The film became a cultural phenomenon, winning two Academy Awards and making climate change one of the defining political issues of our time. I am sure that there will be many retrospectives seeking to relitigate the scientific claims in the film. But the far more important anniversary story is not about the accuracy of any of Gore’s individual claims but rather about what the film helped to unleash in the scientific community: bringing partisan politics into the institutions of science. Gore did not simply make a film about climate change: He implored the scientific community to join him in overt climate advocacy. The fuel that Gore added to the fire of pathological politicization of the climate science community is the most important legacy of An Inconvenient Truth. Almost three years after the film’s release, Gore took the stage at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—the country’s largest and most prominent scientific organization—and delivered something much closer to a revival sermon than a scientific lecture. Gore told the assembled scientists that they could no longer “in good conscience accept this division between the work you do and the civilization in which you live.” His directive was clear:
Approval of Trump on economy falls in new AP-NORC poll, as Iran war drives up prices
The findings from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.
Behind the scenes of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2': Anne Hathaway's push for body diversity, Sydney Sweeney's cut scene and more
The film's couture-clad cast and crew have been dishing on all things Runway magazine and reuniting nearly two decades later.
Mystics, Monumental Sports bring a different kind of support to DC girls
The Washington Mystics and Monumental Sports, through a new nonprofit called EquipHer, gave away three free sports bras to every girl at Hart Middle School.
SBA administrator speaks to ABC13 on economic uncertainty ahead of midterm elections: 'It's a blip'
With the war in Iran and growing costs creating uncertainty, the economy is atop voters minds heading into the 2026 midterms. While data reveals Texas is faring better economically than much of the country, growth might be slowing.
World's biggest airlines cancel flights due to rising fuel prices
Jet fuel prices have spiked and supplies have dwindled as the US and Israeli war on Iran drags on, forcing some airlines to cancel flights.
This Senior Couple Started a Business to Stop Snoring. Their Ad Was ‘Too Pornographic’ — Then They Hit $250K in Monthly Sales: ‘It’s Lunacy’
Lloyd and Sue Ecker went all the way back to 1888 to find a snoring solution.
Luka Dončić still out indefinitely, but Austin Reaves reportedly nearing return to Lakers with on-court work
Framework's CEO on the RAM crisis and creating a "MacBook Pro for Linux users"
We actually have slightly more Linux users than Windows users."
U.S. Abruptly Rescinds Subpoenas in John Brennan Inquiry
The vacillation came after the Justice Department replaced a career prosecutor with a loyalist to President Trump in the administration’s effort to charge the former C.I.A. chief with a crime.
'The Blind Side' star Quinton Aaron speaks out on health and marriage after coma
The actor suffered a spinal stroke in January and later learned his wife's divorce had never been finalized.
3 takeaways from Fed nominee Warsh on AI and FOMC independence
Former Wall Street exec Kevin Warsh testified before Congress Tuesday about his nomination as Fed chair.
Peachtree Entertainment Expands With Two New Hires
Peachtree Entertainment has added two industry veterans to its team: Aaron Siuda as SVP [...]
Responding to Today's Gaps for Tomorrow's Health Emergencies: 2026 Ready or Not Report
Join Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) for a Congressional Briefing and National Webinar on the latest information on public health emergency readiness and findings from TFAH’s upcoming report, Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism – releasing May 7th. The past year alone saw the U.S. facing the most […]
Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future
M. Gessen encourages the audience to embrace their freedom in a UCSB Arts & Lectures series talk.
Mozilla Used Anthropic’s Mythos to Find and Fix 151 Bugs in Firefox
The Firefox team doesn’t think emerging AI capabilities will upend cybersecurity long term, but they warn that software developers are likely in for a rocky transition.
Framework’s New Ultra-Repairable 'Pro' Laptop Lets You Ditch Windows Entirely
The Framework Laptop 13 Pro comes with better battery life, a better chip, and—finally—a touchscreen.
Science Research Students Present at Terra NYC Semifinals
By DORIS CHEN and YUEHAN DAI Nineteen Midwood students showcased months of independent research at the Terra NYC STEM Fair on March 1 at Stuyvesant High School, with 12 groups being part of the semifinals and one group making it to the finals. Seniors Charlotte Maloney and Karen Zevelev
Smith hits fifty as Rawalpindiz misery continues
Steve Smith's half-century helped Multan Sultans inflict an eighth straight defeat on Rawalpindiz. Australia's Smith struck 56 from 31 balls at the top of the order to set up Multan's chase of 167, while his compatriot Ashton Turner hit an unbeaten 37 to see them over the line with eight balls to spare. Rawalpindiz, who are already eliminated from the PSL, immediately struggled after choosing to bat first as Shahzaib Khan fell in the first over before skipper Muhammad Rizwan trudged to 26 from 29 balls.
I was happy with my Pixel camera until I tried the Oppo Find X9 Ultra [Gallery]
While there are a ton of different things I care about on my smartphone, the camera is a huge deciding...
New ‘Jeopardy!’ Sports Spinoff to Be Hosted by Joe Buck
Find out its name, where show will air, and more.
RWJBarnabas Health and Harvest Earn “Companies That Care” Honor from Commerce Magazine
RWJBarnabas Health was recognized by Commerce Magazine and The Commerce & Industry Association of NJ (CIANJ) at the 2026 "Companies That Care" Awards Ceremony on April 16th, 2026 for its engagement in partnerships that improve New Jersey.
Oppo announces the Find X9 Ultra with a 50MP 10x optical zoom telephoto camera
The Find X9 Ultra’s main camera is a 200-megapixel sensor. At 1/1.12 inches, Oppo says it’s the largest 200MP sensor in a phone yet, but the 10x optical zoom telephoto may be the star.
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".
Pentagon makes flu shot optional for troops, rescinding requirement
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the US military will no longer require the annual flu vaccine for troops.
Volume 25 Science Of Speed
Our annual racing deep dive goes full engineering — from chassis and powertrains to tires, batteries, aero, and driver fitness, featuring machines like the new Corvette ZR1 and McLaren Solus GT.
Chipolo’s Android Find Hub trackers actually have 1-year battery life, new wallet launches
Chipolo has a big update on its Find Hub trackers for Android, with the battery life rating having just doubled...
Beyond DTC: Finding the Best Business Model for Your Brand with Molly Sims and Randy Goldberg
The best brands aren’t choosing between online and in person retail—they’re doing both, intentionally. Bombas co-founder Randy Goldberg and YSE Beauty founder Molly Sims break down how to expand your model without diluting your brand.
NASA shuts off Voyager 1 instrument to save power 15B miles from Earth
NASA shut down Voyager 1's charged particles instrument to save dwindling power, as the interstellar spacecraft loses about 4 watts of energy per year.
Ohio State releases findings in investigation into Ted Carter's business relationship with podcaster
The Subaru X-100 Was The Plane-Shaped Car Designed To Cross The U.S. On A Single Tank Of Gas
The Subaru X-100, a one-off concept built with one purpose in mind: to drive across the U.S. on a single tank of gas, getting 100 MPG in the process.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price Update
Starting today, Game Pass Ultimate drops from $29.99 to $22.99 a month. Find out more inside.
West Fork Whiskey sells Westfield venue to Stick and Hack Entertainment
Fishers-based Stick and Hack Entertainment LLC has acquired West Fork Whiskey Co.’s property in Westfield and plans to open a sports and entertainment venu at the site, the company announced Tuesday.
Oppo Find X9 Ultra debuts with dual 200MP cameras and 10x optical zoom
It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. After weeks of teasers, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is now official. Oppo unveiled its latest cameraphone...
School District of Lancaster board expected to hire interim business manager as it addresses fiscal challenges
School District of Lancaster officials will recommend today that board members appoint Charles Linderman as interim business administrator as they grapple with significant financial challenges.
Colts announce jersey numbers for 11 offseason additions
The Indianapolis Colts announced the jersey numbers of the 11 new players added to the roster this offseason.
Fiscal Year 2026 Government Funding: A Breakdown For Small Business
Earlier this year, President Trump signed into law a package funding every government agency except DHS for the remainder of FY2026, which ends on September 30.
NASA’s Curiosity Finds Organic Molecules Never Seen Before on Mars
After years of lab work, the results are in: A rock that NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover drilled and analyzed in 2020 includes the most diverse collection of
The most effective AI strategies for corporate law departments start with business goals
As corporate law departments adopt AI, a report finds departments must align its use with the priorities that matter most to the business.
'Nations need to prepare now': Key Atlantic ocean current is much closer to collapse than scientists thought
An alarming study claims the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is weakening more than than believed previously. But experts say its findings are far from the final word.
Recapping Indiana politics headlines in 60 seconds
IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer recaps the top politics headlines in 60 seconds from the week of April 13.
'Coyote vs. Acme' & Other Ketchup Movies To Be Sold By V10
Ketchup has entered into a distribution partnership with V10 for the latter to sell the pay-1 window and downstream rights to Ketchup's movies.
V10 Entertainment To Handle Pay 1 & Downstream Sales On Ketchup Movies Including ‘Coyote vs. Acme’
EXCLUSIVE: Ketchup Entertainment has entered into a distribution partnership with V10 Entertainment for the latter to sell the pay-1 window and downstream rights to Ketchup’s movies, including the upc...
V10 Entertainment To Handle Pay 1 & Downstream Sales On Ketchup Movies Including ‘Coyote vs. Acme’
EXCLUSIVE: Ketchup Entertainment has entered into a distribution partnership with V10 Entertainment for the latter to sell the pay-1 window and downstream rights to Ketchup’s movies, including the upc...
Ohio State releases findings in investigation into Ted Carter's business relationship with podcaster
Napping may be warning sign of health issues in older adults, study finds
For older adults, naps may be a warning sign of underlying conditions or declining health, according to a new study.
‘Is it life? We can’t tell’: Nasa’s Curiosity rover finds organic molecules on Mars
Scientists think they are looking at chemical building blocks of life preserved for 3.5bn years
NASA's Mars rover finds new organic matter in crater
NASA's Curiosity rover has identified more organic compounds as scientists investigate any potential ancient life signs on Mars. It was exploring the massive Gale Crater also believed to be a now-dry lake.
At ‘Thrift Lab,’ Museum Of Science And Industry Explores Sustainable Fashion — And Invites You To Shop
The April 30 event will feature speakers on sustainability and clothing, stitch-themed cocktails, a hub to learn sewing and embellishment skills and a vintage market with “tchotchkes galore.”
The Hasselblad In Your Pocket: Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra Challenges The Galaxy S26 Ultra
The latest phone from Oppo includes dual 200MP Hasselblad cameras and a 10x optical telephoto lens. But it doesn’t come cheap.
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
The Closer: Computer Science Grad Takes Every Project to the Finish Line
Computer science student Ashley Baird is the kind of person who thrives on completing what she starts. Baird's drive to see things through resulted in a successful machine learning project for the U.S. Department of Defense and an internship at Nissan working on the team that developed an industry-first personalized sound app.
Tennis dominates as Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka win at Laureus World Sports Awards
It was a big night for tennis as both Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka won individual awards at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid.
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.
Behind the science: Why it pays to fight a virus on the home turf
The emergence of a nasty new virus or even an unexpected flu strain can pose a big public-health headache. Meanwhile, antiviral drug development moves at an agonizingly slow pace and cringingly high cost. But there’s a way around that.
Citizen scientists wanted: Find a project that's right for you
NOAA offers a variety of volunteer opportunities that can be done outdoors and online.
Cone Health’s Jamilla Pinder Named? to List of Outstanding Women in Business
Triad Business Journal honor recognizes top leaders in business.
Cone Health’s Jamilla Pinder Named? to List of Outstanding Women in Business
Triad Business Journal honor recognizes top leaders in business.
Expanding likeness detection to the entertainment industry
We’re expanding our likeness detection technology to the entertainment industry — talent agencies, management companies, and the celebrities they represent.
High school journalism and business education, even if it's incidental
Study finds high school journalism helps lead in financial literacy education, even though it might not be the direct intent.
OVPR Launches Business Development Pilot Program
The program helps UConn researchers pivot to industry partnerships to offset funding challenges
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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