The Protect College Sports Act Isn’t Enough
A much-hyped piece of legislation is more bark than bite.
Culture
Can You See What Holds This Painting Together?
With his sly, vacant images, Roy Lichtenstein explored the distance that technology created between us and reality.
An SNL Sketch to Make Airlines Feel Ashamed
There’s a lot to worry about while flying. Add terrible passengers to the list.
The Rise of the Tallboy Is a Sign of the Times
America has entered its big-beer era.
When George W. Bush Defended Muslim Americans
The former president spoke highly of Islam after 9/11—a posture that MAGA has abandoned.
Neil Young’s Epic Reckoning With Mortality
The rock legend has stayed prolific into old age, and his new album, Second Song, is a minor landmark.
The Knives Are Out for Bill Belichick
The celebrated coach’s football program at the University of North Carolina is under investigation. It’s hard to know what is of substance—and what is noise.
An Ingredient That’s All Too Rare in Adult Life
Whatever happened to being silly?
The Artist Who Ripped Up the Rules of Drawing
Willem de Kooning was the best draftsman of his generation of postwar American artists. He had to unlearn everything he knew.
A Shouting Match and an Ultimatum at the Kennedy Center
President Trump berated a congresswoman during a board meeting, then posted that he would abandon the Kennedy Center if his name isn’t added to it.
The Next Change Trump Has Planned for the Smithsonian
A letter from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed new details about warning signs the White House will install near the American-history museum.
What Trump’s Bizarre Posts Are Teaching Us About AI
The president’s recent Truth Social barrage of fake images reflects the dangers—for all of us—of virtual self-aggrandizement.
A Diagnosis for Social Conflict That Gets Lost Along the Way
A new book suggests that arguing isn’t about winning but seems preoccupied with it anyway.
Sons and Mothers
My mother devoted her life to teaching writers. Becoming one meant escaping the story she had written for me.