We Planned Some Fun, Harmless Social Events for Our Office. Then We Got a Call From HR.
A three‑person social committee at a satellite office organized quarterly activities such as a two‑truths‑and‑a‑lie game, a BBQ, a bake‑sale for the Salvation Army, and bingo. Human Resources flagged the events as potentially discriminatory—citing privacy, dietary, religious and gambling concerns—before ultimately deeming them acceptable because participation was optional. The committee’s latest Earth‑Day park clean‑up with pizza sparked another complaint from a disgruntled employee who argued the event excluded people with disabilities. The column advises using anonymous surveys, accommodating diverse needs, and not letting a single critic stall broader employee‑engagement efforts.
A Comprehensive New Book Exposes One of the Worst Pieces of the Modern Legal System
Former federal prosecutor Brendan Ballou’s new book, *When Companies Run the Courts*, reveals how forced arbitration has supplanted public lawsuits, channeling disputes into a secretive system that favors corporations. The author details how repeat‑hired arbitrators, costly fees, and confidentiality erode consumer...
One State Has an Ingenious New Strategy for Blocking the Opening of an ICE Detention Warehouse
Maryland filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that ICE’s plan to convert an 825,000‑square‑foot warehouse in Williamsport into a detention center violated the National Environmental Policy Act. The state highlighted the presence of endangered species such...
The Chicken Thigh Is the Current Darling of the American Table. But Its Popularity Is Costing Us More Than We...
Chicken thighs have become the dominant protein cut in American kitchens, overtaking the once‑favored chicken breast. Advances in processing automation and the rise of multicultural cuisines have driven year‑over‑year growth in thigh consumption since the late 2010s. While thighs offer...
I Saved $800 on My Medical Bills With a Little-Known Trick. You Can Do It Too.
A freelance health‑policy writer saved roughly $862 in 2025 by negotiating hospital and lab bills, turning typical out‑of‑pocket charges into discounted amounts. By calling billing departments, requesting supervisor approval, and offering immediate partial payment, she reduced an OB‑GYN bill by...
Hegseth Just Sent an Alarming Message to the Rest of the World
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Estonia that delivery of six HIMARS launchers and their munitions will be delayed until the war with Iran ends. The postponement follows a 39‑day bombing campaign that consumed a large share of U.S. key...
My Dad Was Murdered. When People Find Out, They All Ask the Same Question. They Don’t Like My Answer.
Kate Crane’s father, Eddy Crane, disappeared in Baltimore in 1987, leaving her with a lingering, volcanic anger that lasted nearly four decades. After years of silence and societal pressure to be constantly furious, she turned that fury into an investigative...
The World’s Most Expensive Standoff, and Nobody Can Quit
The podcast highlights President Trump’s last‑minute extension of a cease‑fire with Iran, averting a costly escalation in the Strait of Hormuz as the Pentagon warns mine clearance could take six months. It also covers FBI Director Kash Patel’s defamation lawsuit...
Why Clarence Thomas Just Handed a Major Legal Victory to Wounded Veterans
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision in Hencely v. Fluor Corp., allowing veteran Spc. Winston Hencely to sue the defense contractor under South Carolina state law. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, joined by both conservative and...
So, Are We All Going to Get Refunded for Those Illegal Trump Tariffs?
On April 22, 2026, the U.S. Treasury announced it will begin issuing refunds for the Trump administration’s illegal tariffs, but only to businesses that paid the duties directly. An estimated $1,745 per American household was spent on those tariffs, yet...
Slate SoundBites for April 21, 2026
Slate introduced SoundBites, a daily word‑puzzle that drops each weekday at 6 a.m. The game presents four clue groups—each yielding a two‑letter reveal—to build a final answer. Users must sign in to track streaks, save progress, and compete for daily completion....
The Surprisingly Anticlimactic End to America’s War Against Al-Qaida
The United States has largely neutralized al‑Qaida, with the group described as “severely degraded” in recent National Security and Defense Strategies. Leadership remains ambiguous—Sayf al‑Adl, a $10 million bounty target, is still at large, while other potential leaders are similarly elusive....
It Was a Bold, Multimillion-Dollar Experiment. They Wanted to Change Cable News Forever. What They Actually Did Was Far More...
NewsNation debuted in March 2021 as a centrist, fact‑based cable news channel under Nexstar’s “Project Neutral,” promising unbiased coverage for Middle America. After five years, the network’s ratings have trailed rivals, and its programming has shifted from local newscasts to...
They Were Once Essential to So Many Writers. Now They’re Quietly Vanishing Across the Internet.
The article chronicles the rapid disappearance of niche online writing communities as AI‑generated content floods platforms, eroding the professional purpose that once kept freelancers connected. Once‑vibrant Slack and Zoom rooms now host complaints about low‑quality AI output, mirroring the 12%...
What the Hell Happened to Wendy’s?
Wendy’s announced it will close roughly 300 restaurants – about 5‑6% of its total locations – after an 11.3% drop in same‑store sales at the end of 2025. The decline follows a turbulent leadership period, including the surprise hiring of...
It’s Bizarre, Unnatural, and the Size of a Football Field. It Might Be the Thing to Save Ski Resorts.
Ski resorts Bogus Basin in Idaho and Sun Peaks in British Columbia deployed a new snow‑farming technique that piles winter snow into football‑field‑sized mounds and covers them with insulated Snow Secure blankets. The blankets, costing $120,000 at Bogus Basin and...
There’s a Critical Issue Facing the Movie Industry, Says Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh told Slate that the movie industry’s most pressing problem is getting audiences back into theaters, especially for mid‑budget, adult‑oriented films. He discussed his latest trio of releases—Presence, Black Box and the newly released The Christophers—and noted the disappointing...
SchadenFriday: Washington Gets TMZ’d
Slate released a member‑exclusive "SchadenFriday" podcast episode titled "Washington Gets TMZ’d" on April 10, 2026. The show features Harvey Levin, founder of TMZ, who critiques Congress’s recess, the looming partial government shutdown, and the president’s controversial remarks. Produced by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn,...
Lonelygirl15 Was the Most Famous YouTuber in the World. No One Had Any Idea Who She Really Was.
In the summer of 2006 a teenage‑styled video diary appeared on YouTube under the handle lonelygirl15, quickly becoming the platform’s first viral star. Viewers and journalists raced to uncover the creator’s true identity, turning the series into a global media...
The Smashburger Craze May Have Finally Jumped the Shark. Wait Till You See What This One’s Made Of.
Ramblin’ Chick, a Brooklyn eatery founded by former Ample Hills partners, has launched a chicken smashburger that mimics the crust and juiciness of classic beef smashburgers using marinated thigh meat. The patty is butter‑smashed on a hot griddle, stacked with...
Our Culture of Excess and Distraction Is Making Us Sick. But I’ve Found a Cure, and It’s Delicious.
The article argues that America’s culture of excess and constant digital stimulation is causing widespread information fatigue and health issues. It highlights that about half of Americans cut back social‑media use in 2025 and are embracing “no‑buy” periods to combat...
I Thought My Worst Habit in the Morning Was Probably Ruining My Life. When I Investigated, I Found Something Else.
The article explores the cultural and physiological impact of the snooze button, noting that 56% of sleepers hit snooze an average of 2.5 times, adding roughly 11 minutes of fragmented sleep each morning. It cites a 2025 Sleep Cycle analysis...
Hulu’s Postapocalyptic Hit Is Pure Wishful Thinking
Hulu’s surprise series *Paradise* has evolved from a murder‑mystery to a post‑apocalyptic sci‑fi drama, culminating in a Season 2 finale where a quantum supercomputer named Alex can rewrite time. The show uses a tech‑billionaire’s bunker‑village to explore climate collapse, while foregrounding...
I Was Once Given Just Three Years to Live. A Specific Kind of Hope Could Help Cancer Patients Like Me.
A recent International Myeloma Society summit introduced a formal definition of "cure" for multiple myeloma, sparking debate among oncologists, patients, and advocates. Advances such as CAR‑T cell therapy have pushed five‑year survival rates to 62%, prompting some clinicians to label...
He’s Best Known for His Role in The Princess Bride. But He’s Also One of Our Most Important Playwrights.
Wallace Shawn, famed for his role in The Princess Bride, has revived his 1990 play The Fever and paired it with his new work What We Did Before Our Moth Days. At 82, Shawn returns to the stage, delivering a two‑hour monologue that...
Who Needs TSA When You Have ICE?
The latest Slate Political Gabfest episode spotlights three escalating crises: chaotic airport operations amplified by ICE agents disrupting TSA workflows, a looming Supreme Court decision that could overturn a state law extending mail‑in ballot deadlines, and landmark jury verdicts holding...
Trump Just Caved On One of His Biggest Power Grabs
The Justice Department withdrew its challenge to a district court’s authority and accepted the appointment of Robert Frazer as New Jersey’s U.S. attorney, ending an eight‑month vacancy. The move reverses the Trump administration’s claim that only the president can name top...
How a $11M, 2-Foot-Tall Jeweled Egg Ruined a Business, a Marriage, and a Family
Serena Kutchinsky’s new memoir, *Kutchinsky’s Egg*, recounts how her father’s $11 million, two‑foot‑tall jeweled egg—encrusted with 24,000 pink diamonds—bankrupted the century‑old Kutchinsky Jewelers, shattered his marriage, and vanished after being sold to a Japanese collector. The extravagant piece, completed in 1990,...
My Husband’s DNA Test Triggered a Series of Unfortunate Events. Somehow, His Mom Blames Him.
After a consumer DNA test disclosed that Benny’s biological father was his mother’s lover, his family faced a cascade of conflict. His father‑in‑law, blindsided, divorced Benny’s mother, while the mother blamed Benny for the loss of her lifestyle and disowned...
We May Not Be on the Ground in Iran. But the Cost to Our Soldiers Is Still Unthinkable.
The op‑ed highlights the growing problem of moral injury among U.S. service members, especially those who conduct remote strikes from drones or aircraft. While only 13 troops have died in the current Iran conflict, the author argues that distance does...
I Had a Strange, Unsettling Experience Breastfeeding Each of My Four Children. I Finally Figured Out Why.
A mother of four discovered her chronic dread during breastfeeding was due to Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D‑MER), a neurochemical response tied to sudden dopamine drops. Experts explain D‑MER differs from postpartum depression, affecting roughly 6‑15% of lactating individuals and...
The Supreme Court’s Favorite New Excuse to Rule Against LGBTQ+ Kids
The Supreme Court’s preliminary ruling in Mirabelli v. Bonta struck down California’s policy against forced outing of LGBTQ‑identifying students, framing the practice as a due‑process violation for parents even without religious objections. The decision builds on the Court’s earlier Mahmoud...
This ‘Money-Saving Perk’ Sounds Too Good to Be True. It’s a Scam, Right?
The column tackles three personal finance dilemmas: why cash‑back rewards aren’t free money, how to split rent fairly when one partner supports a dependent, and whether beneficiaries can be added or changed without informing them. It explains that interchange fees...
I’m Fantasizing About Abandoning My Adult Son. My Wife Doesn’t Get It.
The column addresses three family dilemmas involving adult children who remain dependent on their parents: a 28‑year‑old son with anxiety and erratic employment, a son whose remarriage introduced disruptive step‑children, and a son who has cut off his mother over...
A Radiant New Novel Asks: What if World War II Had Gone Differently?
Francis Spufford’s new novel *Nonesuch* reimagines World War II by introducing time‑travel magic into the heart of London’s Blitz. The story follows Iris Hawkins, a lower‑middle‑class secretary, who clashes with aristocratic fascist sympathiser Lady Lalage “Lall” Cunningham, whose scheme aims to...