2018

Old, weathered sign saying "POLLING STATION."

Voting Rights and Provisional Ballots

The United States’ 2018 midterm elections approached with far more fanfare than is normal for what is usually a relatively sleepy electoral affair, including an unusual focus on voter disenfranchisement. Stories of people discovering that they were suddenly not eligible to vote and and other voter suppression tactics appeared over and over again: In Georgia, a coalition of …

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Sign reading "Vote Here" in several different languages.

Did the Supreme Court Make Voting More Difficult in a Key Battleground State?

As the 2018 midterms approached in the United States, the national conversation turned more and more toward the right to vote — and whether all Americans are truly able to exercise that right. The conversation took a new turn just weeks before the November 6th election, when the Supreme Court declined to overturn a controversial …

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Screenshot of the "Bucket Bear rescue" video.

The Friends, the Video, and the Bear in the Bucket

October 2018 was, like the months immediately preceding it, a seemingly endless march of stressful news stories and increasing political tensions globally as elections loomed in countries around the world. That naturally led a subsection of internet regulars to seek out more uplifting, simple stories, preferably those involving rescuing cute animals. The Daily Mail got in on …

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Pro-Choice Activist Breaks World Record With 27th Abortion?

A story about a woman cheerfully embarking on her 27th straight abortion hit social media in October 2018, shocking readers who learned about Elena Travis, the 34-year-old med school student with an unusual hobby (but a heart of gold): The historic operation was performed at the Sacramento Street Health Center and required Elena Travis, 34, …

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Pair of feet with Nike shoes on them.

Is Arkansas Law Enforcement Photographing Inmates in ‘Nike’ Gear?

The Union County, Arkansas sheriff’s department has responded to widespread outrage in October 2018 about its policy of photographing inmates in shirts bearing the Nike slogan: The Sheriff in Union County, Arkansas is putting Nike t-shirts on people they arrest and making them wear them during mugshots. Source says it is to mock Nike and …

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About Those Submerged Planes in Florida…

When Hurricane Michael slammed into Mexico Beach, Florida on October 10th, 2018, the massive storm caused as-yet untold amounts of damage, leveling homes for miles: Amid images of survivors and the aftermath, the usual hurricane hoaxes began to appear, like this one: Caption: “Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport – Panama City Beach, FL” The post …

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Wild deer in tall grass.

‘Bovine Tuberculosis’ Appearing in Michigan?

In October 2018, a warning appeared and made its way around the usual internet circles to warn against eating meat from deer afflicted with “bovine tuberculosis.” The warning was accompanied by a rather unappetizing photograph of a lesion-studded hunk of meat that showed what people should avoid: This warning (and the accompanying photograph) is legitimate, …

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Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift’s Political Endorsements: The Rumors and the Reality

Pop superstar Taylor Swift — once a darling of the far-right and alt-right crowds because of her “Aryan goddess” looks and their own fevered imaginations — broke a years-long policy of silence on political matters in October 2018 to endorse a political party on her Instagram account: I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections …

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Tops of soda cans in black and white.

LaCroix and its Chemical Additives

LaCroix sparkling water has had something of a moment, but anything popular comes with detractors. The fruity, low-calorie beverage met its own in October 2018 in the form of a class-action lawsuit that claims, among other things, that the drink contains ingredients used in cockroach insecticide. Chicago-based law firm Beaumont Costales also slammed LaCroix for false …

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