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Elements from FX's "Baskets" (Ashlie Stevens )

The beauty of TV's saddest picnic

Ashlie D. Stevens

The beauty of TV's saddest picnic

Ashlie D. Stevens

How a blue tarp, a hoagie and a clown became one of television's most profound meals

(Illustration by Salon / Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla / iStock)

The price of Trump's anti-science agenda

The price of Trump's anti-science agenda

From measles to screwworm, Americans keep paying the cost of the admin's war on science

The Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., has become a celebration of Donald Trump (Al Drago/Getty Images)

How Trump hijacked America's birthday

Heather Digby Parton

This Fourth of July celebration is pointedly different from those marking previous milestones

According to a new Gallup poll, most Americans believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed in America today. (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Grieving America's 250th birthday

Chauncey DeVega

On this July Fourth, Americans ask: What does it mean to love a country that won't love you back?

FEATURED

Don't waste your rotisserie chicken (Alexander Spatari/ Getty Images)

Don't waste your rotisserie chicken

Here are a few ways to turn a hot bag of poultry into creative, satisfying weeknight meals

Angelina Jolie as Maxine Walker in "Couture" (Vertical Entertainment )

Angelina Jolie rethinks aging onscreen

Alice Winocour's film finds Jolie in peak form, wrestling with the tough decisions the actress knows all too well

Republicans are attacking Pride Month âÂ and marriage equality (Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)

Nuclear Family Month shows MAGA paranoia

Amanda Marcotte

Red state anti-Pride proclamations demonize most straight people along LGBTQ folks

Activists continue to protest outside of the Delaney Hall Detention Facility, and clash with ICE agents, June 21, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Delaney Hall and the new ICE playbook

Detainees ended a hunger and labor strike shortly after ICE updated its detention standards

How long can this "Weekend at Bernie's" presidency go on?

The "Weekend at Bernie's" presidency

Trump fever is finally breaking on Capitol Hill, this time for real. What in God’s name happens now?

Why MAGA buys Trump’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool hoax

Why MAGA buys the Reflecting Pool hoax

Amanda Marcotte

The GOP base would love to arrest people who laugh at them

Tulsi Gabbard was in more than one cult

Tulsi Gabbard was in more than one cult

Heather Digby Parton

The former director of national intelligence — and MAGA member — allegedly took orders on politics from her guru

Impeachment is the only answer to Trump’s behavior

Impeachment is the way to stop Trump

Heather Digby Parton

Democrats should not be timid in holding the president accountable if they take back Congress

"Blue Film" is the gay indie that won't let you look away

"Blue Film" won't let you look away

The controversial film is much more than its shocking premise, probing sexuality with complete candor

"Supergirl" proves Hollywood studios still don't trust women superheroes

Why the DCU won't let "Supergirl" win

Milly Alcock brings a fresh energy to Superman's cousin that's snuffed out by a risk-averse studio culture

NEWS & POLITICS

US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida on May 2, 2026, before boarding Air Force One en route to Miami. (Photo by Jim Watson/Getty Images)

Trump bashes SCOTUS over Carroll case

The Supreme Court declined to hear Trump's appeal of the civil ruling against him

Melat Kiros participated in a League of Women Voters Congressional District 1 candidate forum at Montview Presbyterian Church on May 28, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/Getty Images)

Can Melat Kiros take down a Dem lifer?

Grace Panetta - The 19th

Rep. Diana DeGette, a 15-term incumbent, is facing her most serious primary challenge yet

According to a new poll, 53% of Americans are in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump (JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP via Getty Images)

Impeachment is the way to stop Trump

Heather Digby Parton

Democrats should not be timid in holding the president accountable if they take back Congress

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., addresses the House chamber of the the U.S. Capitol after winning the speakership on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Christians claim US as their own again

David Mislin - The Conversation

The insistence that the U.S. is “one nation under God” stems from existential fear

Former U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House on November 26, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Biden on Trump: What a loser!

Biden on Trump: What a loser!

The former president said Trump "has no shame" and is "embarrassing"

Bill Maher visits The Megyn Kelly Show at the SiriusXM Studios on May 20, 2024 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Maher: I'd vote GOP over DSA

The "Real Time" host told the VP he's had it with hardline stances against Israel, prisons

Trump: new book is of course "Fake News"

After leaked excerpts, interviews and revelations, Trump unloads on Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's new book

SCOTUS is done with immigrant rights

Chauncey DeVega

The Supreme Court's latest rulings signal that compassionate conservatism is officially dead

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Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu, Jeremy Allen White as Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto. Credit: FX (Copyright, 2026, FX. All Rights Reserved)

"The Bear" shows what's humanly possible

Melanie McFarland

"The Bear" shows what's humanly possible

Melanie McFarland

The FX hit's final season shows that trust, love and sheer will can be the brightest fires in an end-of-days storm

Haley Joel Osment in "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Spielberg’s "A.I." foretold our solitude

Spielberg's divisive 2001 film looks far more prescient 25 years on, tackling the ChatGPT era with alarming urgency

Why the DCU won't let "Supergirl" win

Milly Alcock brings a fresh energy to Superman's cousin that's snuffed out by a risk-averse studio culture

Best graphic memoirs of 2026 (so far)

These 5 memoirs call on their authors' inner resources and the wisdom of the world around them

Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld in "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" (Photograph by John Johnson/HBO)

Larry David's all-American reality check

Melanie McFarland

In HBO's "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness," the comedian makes pettiness all-American

The Beatles (Daily Mirror/Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

New books revisit Beatles' milestones

Samira Ahmed's "A Hard Day's Night" and Amelia Davis' "The Beatles by Jim Marshall" bookend their touring years

Amy Griffin (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Amy Griffin)

"The Tell" never told the whole story

The legal drama around Amy Griffin’s memoir reveals the role of power and wealth in building a bestseller

Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet in "The Other Bennet Sister" (BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)

There's something about Mary Bennet

The star and writer of BritBox's "The Other Bennet Sister" on why the "Pride & Prejudice" wallflower resonates

New Yorkers gathered outside the LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, New York City, U.S., on May 7, 2026, to demand a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

How “freeze the rent” really works

Even with Mamdani in the mayor's office, tenants aren’t taking a rent freeze for granted

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, speaks via video before the ringing of opening bell at the launch of the company's initial public offering on June 12, 2026 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Elon Musk's big payday from SpaceX IPO

Brad Badertscher - The Conversation

Investors who bought the shares are unlikely to see the explosive growth that past IPOs had

Gas prices are just one of the rising travel costs for summer vacationers, despite a lower-than-average hurricane prediction. Americans are still planning their summer holidays. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

Summer's mixed forecasts, rising costs

Memorial Day travel demand remains strong as NOAA predicts below-normal hurricane season and rising vacation costs

The conflict in the Middle East has hit the global fuel and fertilizer markets that, in turn, have increased farmers' costs right as planting season begins. (Mark Mirko/Connecticut Public via Getty Images)

Farm aid can't outrun Trump's war

With rising costs of fuel and fertilizer, and tariffs still in place, the outlook for 2026 is bleak

Pistachios (Getty Images/Laura Rosina)

The pistachio trend has some history

The pistachio trend has some history

Benefiting off viral trends, like Dubai chocolate, has been actually decades in the making

Minnesota takes on Polymarket, Kalshi

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is suing multiple states for trying to rein in Polymarket and Kalshi

The Trump phone is here. It's junk

Tech experts and reviewers say the long-delayed $500 phone has high costs, middling specs and murky origins

The American workforce is a matriarchy

As moms are driving the growth in America's labor market, it's time for major investments in early childcare

SCIENCE & HEALTH

How to pop the AI bubble

Cory Doctorow argues AI dominance is not inevitable. How we fight back matters

Trump: Cognitive tests prove he's smart

Doctors say MoCA is screening tool for cognitive impairment, not intelligence test, despite Trump’s intellect claim

Trump cuts to global health hit home

Politicized public health agencies also make it harder to hold officials accountable

PCOS becomes PMOS

This change to this common reproductive health issue could lead to better and earlier treatment for 15% of women.

Can we ever get rid of nuclear weapons?

Editor of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says the doomsday threat is real — but human goodness will win out

Insurers frequently deny or delay cancer care to patients, including breakthrough immunotherapies like Keytruda (Shivansh Gupta/PA Images via Getty Images)

Lower drug prices won't fix cancer care

Kenneth E. Thorpe

Lower drug prices won't fix cancer care

Kenneth E. Thorpe

As breakthrough drugs offer critical hope to patients, lawmakers should focus on shoring up the social safety net

A health worker, wearing single-use protective clothing and a surgical cap, stands at a checkpoint where she oversees hand washing and temperature screening for all visitors and patients entering Kyeshero Hospital, as part of Ebola prevention measures in Goma on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Jospin Mwisha / AFP via Getty Images)

Ebola outbreak is a US failure

America didn't cause these diseases. But Trump’s cuts to public health have put the world at risk

A woman walks by campaign signs at an early voting site at the West Oaks Branch Library in Ocoee, Florida, United States on October 27, 2024. (Paul Hennesy/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The toll of Florida's abortion ban

The number of Florida residents who traveled out of state nearly tripled between 2023 and 2024

MORE SCIENCE & HEALTH

Dino-shaped nuggets (bhofack2/ Getty Images)

Dino nuggets, made better

Dino nuggets, made better

Because we all should be feeding our inner child — even into adulthood

Hemingway's Madrid, one bite at a time

Howie Southworth

The city's literary quarter still serves up churros, sherry and oxtail — and just enough ghosts for lunch

Say goodbye to two iconic M&M's colors

Feeling sad about the candy-coated chocolate's pared-down palette? Blame MAHA

An unnecessary amount of bread

Ashlie D. Stevens

Or: How to make a budget meal feel abundant

How to throw a dinner party on a budget

Eating out is expensive, but hosting your friends doesn't have to be

Do more with your overripe bananas

Banana bread is great, but it’s not the only fix for when you’re trying to use up all your forgotten bunches

Biscuits (Warunporn Thangthongtip / Getty Images)

Your picnic is missing biscuits

Ashlie D. Stevens

Forget the sandwiches. This summer, pack brunch instead

Marinate your beans (Ashlie Stevens )

The secret to better summer beans

Ashlie D. Stevens

Pantry staples have seasons, too

An illustration of a solo traveler in front of a cruise ship with images of older passengers (Photo illustration by Salon / Getty Images / Lisa-Blue / Horsche / SOPA Images / RgStudio)

My awkward adventure on a seniors cruise

On my solo research trip I ended up isolated, injured and curious about the men paid to charm older women at sea

Woman holding a bisexual pride flag (Getty Images/Wirestock)

What I wish I'd known about bisexuality

I'm not straight, but I appear that way to the world. Visibility and belonging can be a struggle

The Wizard of Oz | Tornado (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images/Silver Screen Collection)

My lifelong fascination with tornadoes

Gabriella Ferrigine

Am I a bad person for being so enamored with these destructive windstorms? It's complicated

Author hiking the Camino de Santiago (Photo provided by Ginny Bartolone)

My (unexpectedly) feminist pilgrimage

Ginny Bartolone

I hadn't planned on walking 500 miles in Spain just to escape sexist assumptions, but it turned out to be a bonus

MORE LIFE STORIES