Atlantic magazine
Staff writer for the Atlantic
PROFILE
Alana Semuels
Guest
FROM Alana Semuels
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Japan faces lowest birth rate in a century -- because of men Japan is facing a historically low birth rate because young men can’t find good jobs. They’re living at home with their parents and refusing to get married. We talk about the country’s so-called herbivore men.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Raising taxes on the rich can remedy inequality. So why don’t we? Over half of Americans think raising taxes for the rich is a good idea. And historically, it’s proven to be a good way to remedy inequality. So why is the task of raising taxes so difficult? And what does history tell us about what it does and does not do?
To the Point
Massachusetts Public Housing Residents Must Work or Risk Eviction In Worcester, Massachusetts a city program called A Better Life is supposed to transform the lives of people in public housing. But Ray Mariano, head of the Worcester Housing Authority, is not asking people to improve themselves, he's telling them to get a job, go to school or get out. Alana Semuels is a writer for the Atlantic magazine. Ray Mariano, head of the Worcester Housing Authority Photo by Alana Semuels / The Atlantic
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
University of Cincinnati Police Shooting Samuel DuBose, an unarmed black man in Ohio, was pulled over by University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing for a missing front license plate on his car. He was then shot and killed by the officer, who is now charged with murder. Tensing was arraigned today and pleaded not guilty. His bail was set at $1 million. The incident has drawn attention to the city, which has been hailed as a model for police reform after riots 14 years ago led to department-wide changes.
To the Point
The Virtual World of Corporate America Second Life is virtual reality on the Internet, but some international corporations are going there to do real work. For getting middle managers together, it's a lot cheaper than plane tickets and hotel rooms. You don't even have to come as yourself. On a recent afternoon, 20 avatars appeared for a lecture on software development sponsored by Intel Corporation . Opening the event for the semiconductor giant was a half-man, half-lynx dressed in a tuxedo. That's according to a story in the Los Angeles Times by Alana Semuels.
Recommended
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Terrorism in London: Lessons for the US This weekend’s terrorist attack in London left seven people dead and almost 50 injured. London police fatally shot the attackers, and ISIS claimed responsibility.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Trump says goodbye Paris Accord: What does it mean for U.S. and the planet? President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the landmark international agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Trump was to renegotiate a new deal, but will that happen?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?