May 27, 2016

• Round-up of errors and hype about the “nightmare” “superbug” that's circulating in the news right now.
• The "folk theory" of democracy says Sanders supporters vote for his policies—a fallacy the media can't resist.
• Stanford economist surveys the relationship between newspapers, ads, bias, and politics.
• Gawker pens open letter to "comic book villain" Peter Thiel, hires banker to provide financial advice.
• See also: Nick Denton's open letter to his archenemy.
• An open letter to the writers of open letters.
• In Iran's new Parliament, reformists are the largest bloc, and women outnumber clerics for the first time.
• Some think Doctors Without Borders was bombed because Afghan allies hated seeing their enemies treated equally.
• If a wage-theft suit wins against Domino’s, employers may be accountable higher up the franchise chain.
• Startups are frequently boozy, but all that alcohol suggests "a far bigger, more invasive, systemic problem."
• If you eat in a Somali restaurant and receive a banana: eat the banana.
• In addition to our $198 chef's menu, we also offer a $12 burger if you'd like to kill your hunger in a single course.
• Americans aren’t poor because they throw away their money; they’re poor because they don't have any money.
• Legal and ethical hurdles abound in the world of post-mortem sperm donation.
• Two distinct groups use misogynistic language on Twitter: angry white men and "ordinary women and girls."
• Only 2% of young British men define themselves as "totally masculine," compared to 56% of men over 65.
• Portraits by Chad States of men in poses they describe as their most masculine.
• Killing Dylann Roof shows how unimaginatively the government imagines justice.
• RIP Solomon Golomb, whose algorithms have run an octillion times inside cell phones.
• The theremin is one of the oldest electronic musical instruments; the "theremini," it's new kid brother, is plain adorable.
• Where to go and what to see in June if you like contemporary art.
• Klosterman: Someday, rock and roll will be forgotten, all except for Chuck Berry.