Tangle

If I had told you in 2020 that shopping malls would make a comeback, you probably would have laughed in my face.And rightly so. Online shopping has been growing for years as its convenience, ease, and value have become too hard to pass up. To a new generation of shoppers, the experience of going out to a brick-and-mortar store to try on clothing or test out a new vacuum seemed silly and archaic — why waste that kind of time at a mall when you could have someone show up at your door with your order and then just return it if you didn’t like it, often free of cost? Covid-19 only increased that value and accelerated the death of America’s malls.Yet, today, malls are making a comeback — and with the group you’d least suspect: 18- to 24-year-olds. That’s right, the Gen Z kids are so tired of interacting entirely in digital spaces that they’ve started to return to shopping malls, finding pleasure in the same exact thing older generations did: the social experience of hanging out with your friends outside of the house. This cohort made 62% of their general merchandise purchases in-person last year, 10% more than shoppers aged 25 and older. And overall foot traffic at malls was up 4.5% in the first two months of this year compared to last.I think the resurgence of U.S. malls is emblematic of the human experience. A little bit of anything can be fun, refreshing, cathartic, or even exhilarating. But a lot of something — say, eight hours of screen time a day — can start to feel pretty crappy. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On todays episode of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari and Kmele steel man and tin man arguments for and against the war in Iran. They chat about the Meta court ruling that happened while on break. A new segment where the boys really suspend the rules and last but not least, a very solid grievance section. It's a good one!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Trump v. Barbara, a case challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship. While a majority of justices seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s argument that the order should be upheld, several conservative justices appeared similarly unconvinced by the plaintiffs’ case. President Trump attended the arguments, a first for a sitting president, though he left before they concluded. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Get texts from us.After oral arguments in the birthright citizenship case concluded yesterday, subscribers to Tangle’s free SMS messaging service, Subtext, got a first peek at Isaac’s analysis of the case. For more instant commentary on the biggest stories, as well as chances to help Tangle choose daily topics and occasional looks behind-the-scenes, join our Subtext channel by clicking here or texting TANGLE to (850) 338-9163.You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our "The road not taken." ⁠here⁠. story and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: How do you think the Supreme Court will rule in this case? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Monday, March 23, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Watson v. Republican National Committee, a challenge to a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted after Election Day. Several conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the challengers, who argued that the state law violates federal statutes defining the date of elections. If the Court rules in favor of the challengers, more than a dozen states with similar laws could be affected.Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!A scientific survey of Tangle readers.Every day, we share an informal survey on our daily topic to get a sense of reader sentiment and show Tangle subscribers what their fellow readers may be thinking. This survey is not at all scientific. However, a team of researchers wants to take a more rigorous look at you, our readership.Today, we are sharing an opportunity to participate in an independent study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota examining how Tangle readers engage with other people about politics. It would be incredibly helpful for us if you participated. The survey is anonymous, takes five minutes, and gives you the option to enter a lottery for a $200 Amazon gift card.Take the survey here!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our "Under the radar." ⁠here⁠. story and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: How do you think the Supreme Court should rule in this case? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Early Friday morning, the Senate passed a bill that would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2026, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and some parts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Later that day, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he would not bring the bill to a vote. The House instead passed a separate bill that would fund DHS in its entirety for eight weeks. Both the House and the Senate have begun a two-week Easter recess, and neither bill is expected to be considered during that time. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!And, we’re off…Our new, moderated, members-only comments section is officially live on the Tangle website. A big shoutout to everyone who participated yesterday — including a few readers who caught today’s correction and clarification. Tangle’s editors noticed an immediate and obvious change in tone of the comments, with much more level-headed disagreement, fewer instances of namecalling, and zero immediate or obvious comments we had to moderate. It’s a great start to what we’re trying to build. Thank you all.You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: How do you think DHS should be funded? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Will Kaback and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Potential ground operations in Iran. On Saturday, The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is planning for weeks of ground operations in Iran. According to defense officials, current plans are focused on targeted raids by Special Operations forces and infantry troops. President Donald Trump has not decided whether to approve ground operations, but reports from the past week indicate that the Pentagon is developing options for a “final blow,” which could combine troop deployments with an escalated bombing campaign. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think the U.S. will deploy troops to Iran? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a two part Special Edition mega episode on Tangles most requested topic, Jeffrey Epstein. If you have not listened to part 1 of this story yet please take a moment to do so before listening to part 2. To tackle this long, controversial and deeply complicated story, Isaac Saul decided to independently interview two journalists who have been looking at this story through two very different lenses. The two guests are Michael Tracy and Tara Palmeri. Michael Tracy is very skeptical and worried about how this story has percolated in pop culture whereas Tara Palmeri is trying to elevate the stories of the woman who have accused Jeffrey Epstein of assault as well as pushing back on the "manosphere" narrative from people like Michael Tracy who she things are trying to rewrite the Jeffrey Epstein story and downplay the crimes that he has been accused and convicted of. Interviewing both separately ensures both can get their reporting and opinions across without debate which allows our listeners to form their own opinions based off of the research and opinions they both have collected through all of their journalism on Jeffrey Epstein. Be sure to listen to both part 1 and part 2 of this mega Special Edition.Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is a two part Special Edition mega episode on Tangles most requested topic, Jeffrey Epstein. To tackle this long, controversial and deeply complicated story, Isaac Saul decided to independently interview two journalists who have been looking at this story through two very different lenses. The two guests are Michael Tracey and Tara Palmeri. Michael Tracey is very skeptical and worried about how this story has percolated in pop culture whereas Tara Palmeri is trying to elevate the stories of the woman who have accused Jeffrey Epstein of assault as well as pushing back on the "manosphere" narrative from people like Michael Tracey who she things are trying to rewrite the Jeffrey Epstein story and downplay the crimes that he has been accused and convicted of. Interviewing both separately ensures both can get their reporting and opinions across without debate which allows our listeners to form their own opinions based off of the research and opinions they both have collected through all of their journalism on Jeffrey Epstein. Be sure to listen to both part 1 and part 2 of this mega Special Edition.Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On todays Special Edition, Senior Editor Will Kaback interviews military and veteran journalist Jasper Craven who has been reporting deeply on the VA and the people inside of it. We break down what the VA actually does, why it's been targeted for reform and cuts by the Trump administration and what the recent exodus of staff can mean for the millions of veterans that rely on it. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Will Kaback and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On todays Special Edition, Senior Editor Will Kaback interviews Brad Carson, former congressman, former president of the University of Tulsa, former senior pentagon official and veteran. Now Brad Carson is at the center of one of the most important policy debates, how and when to put guard rails on artificial intelligence. We dig into why Ai is becoming one of the biggest political issues today. Are we ready for whats coming with artificial intelligence? Listen to find out. It's a good one!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Will Kaback and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of my primary goals with Tangle is to build the most trusted political news outlet in the world.Two important ways we’re working towards that goal are 1) responding transparently to audience feedback, and 2) creating a special place for our community to interact, debate, and learn from each other.Today, we’re making a series of announcements in service of those two objectives. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul, Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Audrey Moorehead, Lindsey Knuth, Candida Hall and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 51–48 to begin debate on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE America Act. The bill would require citizens to present documentation confirming their citizenship when registering to vote and require photo identification to vote in federal elections. Tuesday’s vote formally initiates discussion of the bill on the Senate floor, a precursor to a potential final vote. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Stranded in the Middle East.When the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran at the end of February, airspaces shut down and commercial flights were cancelled across the region. For Americans in the Middle East, the following days were marked by chaotic attempts to evacuate and inconsistent communication from U.S. embassies. Associate Producer Aidan Gorman has experienced embassy evacuations firsthand, and in our latest YouTube video he breaks down what happened, what should have happened, and the stark realities of evacuation policies. Check it out here:Join us on Reddit!Over the past year, our community on Reddit has been growing — as have the discussions about our coverage. In the past month, threads titled “Under-discussed Topics around Iran War,” “The State of the Union was bad, but not for why Tangle thinks,” and “Justice for Isaac’s lost right socks” have garnered a lot of participation. If you want to start a discussion on a specific issue, a broad theme with our coverage or anything to do with the Tangle podcast, join our Reddit community at r/TangleNews!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the SAVE America Act? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, Cuba’s electrical grid failed, causing a blackout that affected the island’s nearly 11 million inhabitants. Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines confirmed that it was investigating a complete disconnect of the island’s grid, which sparked both violent and non-violent protests. After 29 hours, power was restored to most of the island, although much of the country remains without service as of Wednesday morning. Cuba has been experiencing worsened power disruptions since the United States increased its economic pressure on the island. On January 11, President Donald Trump announced he would prevent Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba, then announced heightened tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba on January 29. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Stranded in the Middle East.When the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran at the end of February, airspaces shut down and commercial flights were cancelled across the region. For Americans in the Middle East, the following days were marked by chaotic attempts to evacuate and inconsistent communication from U.S. embassies. Associate Producer Aidan Gorman has experienced embassy evacuations firsthand, and in our latest YouTube video he breaks down what happened, what should have happened, and the stark realities of evacuation policies. Check it out here:Join us on Reddit!Over the past year, our community on Reddit has been growing — as have the discussions about our coverage. In the past month, threads titled “Under-discussed Topics around Iran War,” “The State of the Union was bad, but not for why Tangle thinks,” and “Justice for Isaac’s lost right socks” have garnered a lot of participation. If you want to start a discussion on a specific issue, a broad theme with our coverage or anything to do with the Tangle podcast, join our Reddit community at r/TangleNews!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the current situation in Cuba? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past week, the Trump administration has begun providing initial updates on its plan to reimburse $166 billion in tariffs collected over the past year that the Supreme Court invalidated in February. Approximately 330,000 importers are expected to be eligible for refunds, which must be paid with interest. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Join us on Reddit!Over the past year, our community on Reddit has been growing — as have the discussions about our coverage. In the past month, threads titled “Under-discussed Topics around Iran War,” “The State of the Union was bad, but not for why Tangle thinks,” and “Justice for Isaac’s lost right socks” have garnered a lot of participation. If you want to start a discussion on a specific issue, a broad theme with our coverage or anything to do with the Tangle podcast, join our Reddit community at r/TangleNews!You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today’s “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think tariff refunds will be disbursed? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Audrey Moorehead and audio edited and mixed by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.