Anna Merlan

“American anti-trafficking groups often make impossible-to-verify claims. Now, they’re doing it in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

“When I stepped through the door, I told him, I found myself in a room entirely lined with aquariums, in which large, spotted, neon-colored fish were floating. It felt peaceful, I told Brown. ‘There’s some purpose here. I’m not worried about the fish, they’re being taken care of.'”

Weary traveler, read this and beware! Airbnb has pledged to close the loopholes in their platform that allow predators to scam unsuspecting renters, but clearly, there’s still a lot of work to do.

“She’s now saying that she intends to appeal the no-bear condition, getting her attorney involved, claiming that our decision is unconstitutional. She actually said that our misuse of power is far more dangerous than a caged bear.”

“You can’t waltz into a pueblo and say, ‘I’m here so you can tell me about your religion.'”

In January, when a teenager killed two of his classmates  Marshall County High School, in Benton, Kentucky, there were no protests, no uprising. The blame went to video games, bullying, parents, the culture at large. Guns were not to blame, far from it.

Liberal Rachel Brewson became an internet — and eventually, television — celeb after sharing the story of her tumultuous relationship with a Republican named Todd. How is she different from a thousand other personal essay writers? Rachel was never real.

After her soldier-husband commits suicide, a woman finds a way to move on and help other people who have gone through similar experiences:

“The Unfortunate Friends: That’s what they call themselves. Suzanne Baty is in her 50s, with the enviable skin and perfectly placed highlights of a Mary Kay saleswoman, which she happens to be. Bethany Peterson is a couple years older than Becca, with long blonde hair, a stylish denim dress and an identical sadness in her eyes.

“They’re here tonight, gathered around a plate of goat cheese tots at Tillman’s Roadhouse in Oak Cliff, because six months or so after their loved ones died they joined a support group for people whose spouses have killed themselves. Bonded by their shared experiences and strong Christian faith, they kept meeting after the formal sessions stopped.”