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Archive

Archives for December 2014

Culture
The Interview wants to be a brutal satire of North Korea and the media. Don’t fall for it.The Interview wants to be a brutal satire of North Korea and the media. Don’t fall for it.
Culture

The movie is ultimately a celebration of American ignorance of other countries.

By Emily St. James
Transportation
5 surprising things I learned during my week as a Lyft driver5 surprising things I learned during my week as a Lyft driver
Transportation

Many Lyft customers love Lyft and hate Uber’s surge pricing. And many Lyft drivers don’t make much more than minimum wage.

By Timothy B. Lee
Politics
Marijuana use rises in states with legalizationMarijuana use rises in states with legalization
Politics

Colorado and Washington state saw much bigger increases than national average, particularly among adults.

By German Lopez
archives
Banks had to pay more fines in 2014 than ever beforeBanks had to pay more fines in 2014 than ever before
archives

But they can probably just shake it off, shake it off.

By Matthew Yglesias
Climate
Americans have been driving less and less. Will cheap gas change that?Americans have been driving less and less. Will cheap gas change that?
Climate

Maybe not. Some experts think driving habits are stubborn — and don’t change much when gas prices do.

By Brad Plumer
Health Care
You may have been getting a raise for years. It’s just not going to your bank account.You may have been getting a raise for years. It’s just not going to your bank account.
Health Care

Employers have been spending more and more on workers...but it’s not going to wages and salaries.

By Danielle Kurtzleben
Science
Meet the anti-Dr. Oz: Ben GoldacreMeet the anti-Dr. Oz: Ben Goldacre
Science

A Q&A with the physician and science writer on his new book.

By Julia Belluz
archives
Vox Sentences: Special abbreviated Boxing Day editionVox Sentences: Special abbreviated Boxing Day edition
archives

An exciting all-miscellaneous installment of Vox Sentences.

By Dylan Matthews
Culture
The Interview made $1 million on Christmas DayThe Interview made $1 million on Christmas Day
Culture

That’s simultaneously a pretty good number and a bit of a disappointment.

By Emily St. James
Russia
Putin couldn’t make Russia a great power, so he made it a geopolitical racketeerPutin couldn’t make Russia a great power, so he made it a geopolitical racketeer
Russia

“This is the geopolitics of the protection racketeer and it wins no friends, earns no soft power.”

By Max Fisher
Politics
Bernie Sanders will announce by March whether he’ll run for president in 2016Bernie Sanders will announce by March whether he’ll run for president in 2016
Politics

If he does run, he’ll have to decide whether to run as an independent or a Democrat.

By Andrew Prokop
Explainers
Why police officers often resort to lethal force as their first responseWhy police officers often resort to lethal force as their first response
Explainers

Even with Tasers, police guidelines endorse lethal force as the first response for an officer who feels his life is in danger.

By Dara Lind
Culture
The year in music, according to 26 award categories we made upThe year in music, according to 26 award categories we made up
Culture

These 26 songs aren’t necessarily 2014’s best. But they’re among its most memorable, and each filled a highly specific niche.

By Kelsey McKinney
Technology
How David McCandless makes beautiful visualizations that go viral over and overHow David McCandless makes beautiful visualizations that go viral over and over
Technology

The secrets behind some of the web’s most popular charts and graphs

By Joseph Stromberg
Police Violence
Why 2014 could be a turning point for America’s racist criminal justice systemWhy 2014 could be a turning point for America’s racist criminal justice system
Police Violence

The protests in Ferguson, Missouri, have led to a national movement.

By German Lopez