Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Archive

Archives for August 2014

TV
US album sales just hit their lowest point everUS album sales just hit their lowest point ever
TV

Music streaming is killing album sales.

By Kelsey McKinney
Health Care
How the White House woos Republicans on ObamacareHow the White House woos Republicans on Obamacare
Health Care

The Obama administration will bend Medicaid to intice Republican governors into Obamacare’s expansion — but they’re not going to break it.

By Sarah Kliff
archives
How Putin backed himself into invading UkraineHow Putin backed himself into invading Ukraine
archives

To understand Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine, you have to go back to December 2011.

By Max Fisher
Media
Online journalism has a bright futureOnline journalism has a bright future
Media

In the past, online news organizations have struggled to turn a profit. But as audiences shift online, advertisers will have to follow.

By Timothy B. Lee
TV
FXX will never stop showing the SimpsonsFXX will never stop showing the Simpsons
TV

24 hours of Simpsons a week

By Kelsey McKinney
Culture
2014’s disappointing summer box office in 5 charts2014’s disappointing summer box office in 5 charts
Culture

Summer is when everyone’s supposed to go see the movies. But that didn’t happen this year.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Natural Disasters
Volcanic eruptions in Iceland and Papua New GuineaVolcanic eruptions in Iceland and Papua New Guinea
Natural Disasters

It’s an exciting time for volcano-watchers — and an unnerving time for anyone who lives near a rumbling volcano.

By Brad Plumer
Health Care
Obamacare woos another Republican governorObamacare woos another Republican governor
Health Care

Tennessee could be the next Republican-run state to sign onto Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion

By Sarah Kliff
archives
The DNC’s braindead attack on Rand PaulThe DNC’s braindead attack on Rand Paul
archives

This is the brain-dead patriotism-baiting that Democrats used to loathe.

By Ezra Klein
Russia
The cold, crazy logic of Putin’s Ukraine invasionThe cold, crazy logic of Putin’s Ukraine invasion
Russia

The four big reasons that Russian troops are pushing into eastern Ukraine.

By Max Fisher
archives
Is investment in computers really falling?Is investment in computers really falling?
archives

The price of digital goods is falling so fast that companies are easily able to get more for less.

By Matthew Yglesias
Health Care
10 states leave 3.6 million without insurance10 states leave 3.6 million without insurance
Health Care

If Texas and Florida expanded Medicaid, 1.8 million people would gain access to health coverage.

By Sarah Kliff
archives
Avoiding the next FergusonAvoiding the next Ferguson
archives

A time for justice.

By New America Foundation Weekly Wonk
Russia
The very scary word in Putin’s Ukraine statementThe very scary word in Putin’s Ukraine statement
Russia

The Russian leader called Ukraine’s rebels “the militia of Novorossiya,” a very loaded imperial-era term.

By Max Fisher
Syria
Obama on ISIS: ‘we don’t have a strategy yet’Obama on ISIS: ‘we don’t have a strategy yet’
Syria

Obama said ‘we don’t have a strategy yet’ for dealing with ISIS. Is that a damning indictment of his foreign policy, or prudent honesty?

By Zack Beauchamp