Can Swift sweep up the votes for Biden?

+ is it ethical to chastise a dog? US Edition - Today's top story: Why Taylor Swift is an antihero to the GOP − but Democrats should know all too well that her endorsement won't mean it's all over now [View in browser]( US Edition | 2 February 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Billy Joel and the art of legacy making]( - [Are sanctions working in Myanmar?]( - [Q: What’s this? A: The Weekly Quiz!]( Lead story I want to assure readers: I did not commission today’s lead story on Taylor Swift because I was weary of editing stories about the decline of our republic and wanted to have some fun. Nor did I commission the story because I wanted our headline writers to have a good time packing as many Swift song references as possible into a headline. Rather, I commissioned scholar Matt Harris to write the story because in today’s hyperpartisan world, everything is political, and somehow Swift’s story has shifted from the culture pages to the politics section. “A pop icon falling for one of the NFL’s preeminent superstars may seem like a slice of Americana – a scene from a small-town high school magnified by a factor of 10 million,” writes Harris. “But this is America in 2024 so, of course, [nothing magical stays that way](.” I will admit that I had fun editing Harris’ piece, and our headline guru had fun as well when composing the headline (after he Googled a list of Swift’s top-10 song titles). But Harris’ story is serious, looking at both the crazy conspiracy theories circulated this past week about Swift and her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, and what role celebrity endorsements can play in an election (hint: ask Obama). Are you ready for it? [[How faith and religion drive the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, This Week in Religion.](] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Travis Kelce celebrates with Taylor Swift on Jan. 28, 2024, after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game. Patrick Smith/Getty Images [Why Taylor Swift is an antihero to the GOP − but Democrats should know all too well that her endorsement won’t mean it’s all over now]( Matt Harris, Park University The idea that the Swift-Kelce romance is some sort of deep-state plot is perhaps gaining traction in far-right circles because it lines up with the political right’s broader agenda and beliefs. Ethics + Religion - [New neurotechnology is blurring the lines around mental privacy − but are new human rights the answer?]( Laura Y. Cabrera, Penn State More invasive devices have prompted new debates about privacy and freedom. But it’s important to keep in mind that other technologies already sense and shape our thoughts, a neuroethicist argues. - [Training an animal? An ethicist explains how and why your dog − but not your frog − can be punished]( Jon Garthoff, University of Tennessee Questions about how to ethically train different kinds of pets depend on the nature of those animals’ inner lives and their abilities to learn. Environment + Energy - [From throwing soup to suing governments, there’s strategy behind climate activism’s seeming chaos − here’s where it’s headed next]( Shannon Gibson, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences With international climate talks failing to make progress fast enough, activists are shifting their emphasis to local battles − in the streets, political arenas and courtrooms. Politics + Society - [Does Trump actually have to pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll? Not immediately, at least]( Jayne Ressler, Brooklyn Law School Before Donald Trump delivers any amount of monetary damages to E. Jean Carroll, he could engage in a long appeals process. - [A former federal judge explains what it’s like to be on the bench in a high-profile trial like those involving Donald Trump’s criminal charges]( John E. Jones III, Dickinson College The retired judge says the judiciary doesn’t ‘do justice’ but follows the law and the facts, which doesn’t always mean a sympathetic or compassionate ending. - [An independent commission is racing to redraw Detroit’s voting maps under a federal court order − but the change may not elect more Black candidates]( Marjorie Sarbaugh-Thompson, Wayne State University; Lyke Thompson, Wayne State University The commission has tight deadlines to finalize new maps. 2 voting rights experts explain the messy situation. International - [3 years on from coup, economic sanctions look unlikely to push Myanmar back to democracy]( Charmaine Willis, Skidmore College; Keith A. Preble, Miami University Economic proscriptions by the US and EU are hampered by lack of support among Myanmar’s major trading partners in the region. - [Grammy Awards: Africa finally has its own category – but at what cost?]( Eric Charry, Wesleyan University African artists with major US industry support have the advantage - now more than ever. Science + Technology - [Orbital resonance − the striking gravitational dance done by planets with aligning orbits]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona Orbital resonance is kind of like musical harmony, but systems that display it are far more rare than songs with harmonic melodies. - [How can I get ice off my car? An engineer who studies airborne particles shares some quick and easy techniques]( Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University When you’re running late in the winter, you don’t want to have to spend time scraping frost off your windshield. Try some expert-recommended techniques instead. Education - [Students with disabilities often left on the sidelines when it comes to school sports]( Megan MacDonald, Oregon State University Although disabled students are supposed to have equal access to school sports, questions remain about whether they participate at the same rate as their nondisabled peers. Arts + Culture - [Billy Joel is back for an encore − but why did he wait so long to turn the lights back on?]( Ryan Raul Bañagale, Colorado College In 1993, Joel sang, ‘These are the last words I have to say.’ What changed? Trending on site - [For 150 years, Black journalists have known what Confederate monuments really stood for]( - [A newly identified ‘Hell chicken’ species suggests dinosaurs weren’t sliding toward extinction before the fateful asteroid hit]( - [Why treason is a key topic in Trump’s 14th Amendment appeal to the Supreme Court]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( While appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 31, what did Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say to the families of online child abuse victims? - A. "I hear the hurt in your voices, and I want you to know that it's valid" - B. "We're here for you" - C. "I’m sorry for everything you have all been through" - D. "It’s complicated" [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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