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Articles by Reilly Stephens
Bootleggers, Cops, and Cars: How Driving Became a Privacy Trap
Chief Petty Officer Lee Schmidt was stuck in morning traffic en route from Norfolk, Va., to his job in Virginia Beach when he first noticed the “weird little camera” outside a CVS: an automated license plate reader. Schmidt began seeing the cameras everywhere after that first sighting in late 2023—outside banks, near schools, and “just to get on the interstate” heading to work. “You cannot dodge these,” said Schmidt, now retired from his Navy electronics technician job.
Supreme Court's 'Conversion Therapy' Case Revs Up Speech Debate
The US Supreme Court’s decision to hear a Colorado therapist’s suit over a state law barring her from counseling minor patients about their sexual orientation or gender identity has the potential for far-reaching effects on professional speech, scholars say.
Liberty Justice Center Asks Federal Court to Hear Animal Rights Activists’ Free Speech Lawsuit
On February 28, the Liberty Justice Center filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to hear two animal rights activists’ free speech lawsuit against the city of Houston.
AI innovation during a new era of federalism
Coming out of a presidential election season—and heading into a new presidential administration—it can be easy to think all politics is national politics, and that the solutions (or lack there of) to our problems will be found in the District of Columbia. But we may in fact be entering a new golden age of federalism, with the pace of change outrunning the federal Congress’ output, and executive actions bouncing back and forth between administrations generating no consistent policy.
Rumors of a ‘Goonies’ Sequel Are False Original
Published September 18, 2024 Jerk alert! Social media users are spreading rumors that a sequel to the hit 1985 film The Goonies is under production. “Steven Spielberg will direct the sequel,” claim the posts, many of which have thousands of likes and shares. Most of the posts include a teaser poster for the film, titled Goonies Are Good Enough. “Sean Astin has already signed up with Ke Huy Quan, Josh Brolin and Martha Plimpton already rumoured to be attached,” the post goes on to claim.
Yes, Some States Allow Abortions Through All Nine Months of Pregnancy
Alex Demas is a fact checker at The Dispatch and is based in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the company in 2023, he worked in England as a financial journalist and earned his MA in Political Economy at King's College London. When not heroically combating misinformation online, Alex can be found mixing cocktails, watching his beloved soccer team Aston Villa lose a match, or attempting to pet stray cats.
Our Best Stuff From a Week of Conspiracy Mongering
Hello and happy Saturday. We try to be very upfront with you here at The Dispatch. You’ve heard our spiel about factual reporting and informed commentary analysis, and as much as we hate to make mistakes, we’ll admit when we were wrong. I don’t have a factual error to correct, but I did make a mistake last week, and I want to address it. The subheading of my newsletter asked, “Could 2024 get any weirder?” I should not have tempted fate.
Was Kamala Harris ‘Sorority Sisters’ With ABC Debate Moderator? Original
Published September 13, 2024 After former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris debated Tuesday night on ABC News, Trump-supporting social media users claimed that the debate moderators favored Harris. The right-wing website World Net Daily’s X account claimed on Wednesday that Harris was “sorority sisters” with Linsey Davis, an ABC News anchor and one of the two moderators for the debate, alongside David Muir.
Who Moderates the Moderators
What does it mean to win a debate? By , , and Published September 13, 2024 Sarah, Steve, and Jonah break down the first (and possibly only) debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and whether or not it will move the needle. The Agenda: —Kamala Harris won —Will the Trump-Harris debate actually matter? —Steve missed the eating pets controversy —Trump’s debate prep —No clarity on abortion policy —The rise of independent voters —Is media bias worth your time?
The Anti-Americanism of Donald Trump Original
The former president's highest priority is always himself, never the country. Published September 13, 2024 Donald Trump is a funny kind of patriot. He loves America—except for the cities, the people who live in the cities, about half of the states, the universities, professional sports leagues, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Wall Street, the legal system, immigrants, the culture.
What Is Federalism? Original
Determining the division between state and federal authority continues to roil our politics and occupy our courts. Published September 13, 2024 More than two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, there remains little consensus among Republican politicians or conservative activists as to what, exactly, the policy response should be—or what the purpose of the movement even was in the first place.
Nationwide Rent Control Is a Terrible Idea Original
Capping rent increases would decrease supply and force more Americans to be dependent on government services. Published July 23, 2024 Before he ended his campaign over the weekend, President Joe Biden had recently been touting a plan for nationwide rent control. Under the scheme, landlords with more than 50 residential units would lose tax breaks on depreciation if they increased rents by more than 5 percent.
Illinois' automated license plate readers are unconstitutional: Opinion
If you drive to work in Cook County — or to school, or to your doctor’s office, or to go on a date — the state of Illinois is now tracking where you drive every time you get in your car, without any reason to suspect you of anything, and are holding onto your whereabouts just in case they decide in the future that you are an appropriate target for law enforcement.
Panics and Maniacs
Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Dispatch, based in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, enormous lizards roamed the Earth. More immediately prior to that, Jonah spent two decades at National Review, where he was a senior editor, among other things. He is also a bestselling author, longtime columnist for the Los Angeles Times, commentator for CNN, and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
Don’t Cede Historic American Symbols to Bad Actors Original
No matter who co-opts it, the ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag has historically represented patriotism. Published May 25, 2024 Over the past year, progressive journalists have invested in wide-ranging investigations of the Supreme Court, from the justices’ friendships, to their finances, to their —but now the New York Times has discovered a whole new category of scandal: their taste in flags.
What’s Behind Recent ‘Squatters Rights’ Disputes? Original
Adele Andaloro says she was simply trying to remove squatters who had taken up residence in a home she owned, yet she was the one who got arrested last month after she called the police. The New York incident is just one story among many drawing attention to “squatters rights”: people settling themselves into a vacant home and claiming legal entitlement to remain indefinitely.
Taxpayer-funded handouts to Planned Parenthood are unconstitutional
Last year, after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked, the Albuquerque City Council rushed to donate $250,000 in taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, New Mexico's regional affiliate of the nation's largest abortion provider. Councilwoman Tammy Fiebelkorn explained that she sponsored the donation "to provide vital support for Planned Parenthood." There was just one problem: the donation was illegal.
Commentary: 'Geofence' warrants threaten every phone user’s privacy — Reilly Stephens
And with it, Judge Rudolph Contreras became the first federal district judge to approve a “geofence” warrant, endorsing a recent police innovation: searching the cellphone history of every American to check who happened to be in the area of some potential crime. The “geofence” in this context refers to cellphone location data collected by Google from users of its Android operating system, as well as iPhone users who use apps such as Google Maps.
'Geofence' Warrants Threaten Every Phone User’s Privacy
The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app access to your location data, you may have had some trepidation about how much Apple or Google know about you. You may have worried about what might come of that, or read about China’s use of the data to track anti-lockdown protesters. What you probably didn’t realize is Google has already searched your data on behalf of the federal government to see if you were involved with January 6th.
'Geofence' Warrants Threaten Every Phone User’s Privacy Original
By Reilly Stephens for RealClearWire The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app access to your location data, you may have had some trepidation about how much Apple or Google know about you. You may have worried about what might come of that, or read about China’s use of the data to track anti-lockdown protesters. What you probably didn’t realize is Google has already searched your data on behalf of the federal government to see if you were involved with January 6th.
Geofences threaten the privacy of every phone user
By Reilly Stephens for RealClearWire The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app to access your location data, you probably had some concern about how much Apple or Google knew about you. You may be worried about what might come of that, or you may be reading about it China use of data to track anti-lockdown protesters.
'Geofence' Warrants Threaten Every Phone User’s Privacy
The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app access to your location data, you may have had some trepidation about how much Apple or Google know about you. You may have worried about what might come of that, or read about China’s use of the data to track anti-lockdown protesters. What you probably didn’t realize is Google has already searched your data on behalf of the federal government to see if you were involved with January 6th.
'Geofence' Warrants Threaten Every Phone User’s Privacy
The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app access to your location data, you may have had some trepidation about how much Apple or Google know about you. You may have worried about what might come of that, or read about China’s use of the data to track anti-lockdown protesters. What you probably didn’t realize is Google has already searched your data on behalf of the federal government to see if you were involved with January 6th.
'Geofence' Warrants Threaten Every Phone User’s Privacy
The last time your phone asked you to allow this or that app access to your location data, you may have had some trepidation about how much Apple or Google know about you. You may have worried about what might come of that, or read about China’s use of the data to track anti-lockdown protesters. What you probably didn’t realize is Google has already searched your data on behalf of the federal government to see if you were involved with January 6th.
Announcing: Retail Reborn Season 2
This article originally appeared on Business of Fashion. Follow the series to ensure you never miss an episode. BoF’s podcast series Retail Reborn returns for a second season, presented by Brookfield Properties, to investigate the consumer of tomorrow, and how their changing lifestyles and expectations will drive evolution in the retail industry.
You Otter Be Outraged
As the guy said when asked to tap out the full 17-minute version of Iron Butterfly’s “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida” on his glass eye using a shrimp cocktail fork, I don’t usually do this. But I think I need to deal directly, and at length, with a complaint from someone in The Dispatch community. Last week, Scott Lincicome, by far the most popular trade and nacho expert writing for The Dispatch, was back on my podcast, The Remnant, to discuss supply chain issues, inflation, trade policy.
The Metaverse Will Radically Change Retail
Image Marshmallow/YouTube By Doug Stephens American venture capitalist Chris Dixon once said, “The next big thing will start out looking like a toy,” an observation, he believes, sits at the heart of why we frequently discount innovations that, only in hindsight, prove to be instruments of momentous technical and societal change.
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Nema Causey | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Nema Causey | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Nema Causey is the owner of Candy Me Up; a bulk candy specialty store located in San Diego, California. As you’ll hear, while many businesses found themselves paralyzed by the pandemic, Nema and her team used it as a turning point to build new media, gain new customers and create a new commercial channel for her family business.
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Christina Fontana | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Christina Fontana | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Christina Fontana has been at the forefront of that New Retail revolution. Dubbed by some as Alibaba’s Fashion Empress, Christina is Head of Fashion and Luxury for Tmall, Europe and U.S., Alibaba Group. She joined us to shed light on what New Retail really means, and how companies like Alibaba are leveraging it to spur a new era in retailing.
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Imran Amed | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Imran Amed | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Doug Stephens is joined by Imran Amed at the #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Party. Imran is CEO and editor-in-chief of The Business of Fashion, the authority on the 2.5 trillion-dollar global fashion and luxury industries.
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Sheldon Solomon | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Party
Doug Stephens in Conversation with Sheldon Solomon | #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Party Doug Stephens is joined by Sheldon Solomon at the #ResurrectingRetail Virtual Launch Party. Sheldon Solomon is Professor of Psychology at Skidmore College. His studies of the effects of the uniquely human awareness of death on behavior are supported by the National Science Foundation and featured in the documentary film Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality.
Resurrecting Retail: The Trailer
Resurrecting Retail: The Trailer Few crises in modern history have so completely disrupted every aspect of daily life as the Covid-19 pandemic. Every market, industry, profession, service, and category of product was in some way rocked by its impact. Researched in real time from inside the crisis, Resurrecting Retail provides a comprehensive and surprising vision of how it will reshape every aspect of consumer life, including the very essence of why we shop.
Why Editorial Brands Will Dominate Retail’s ‘Long Tale’
By Doug Stephens This article originally appeared on The Business of Fashion In 2008, New York native Ben Clymer was working in finance. When the financial crisis hit, he took a severance package and enrolled in Columbia Journalism School, where, in his spare time, he launched Hodinkee, a simple blog for wristwatch aficionados. The name Hodinkee, he would later reveal, was derived from the Czech word “hodinky,” meaning wristwatch.
Forecasting the future of customer experience and consumer behaviour
Posted March 02, 2021 | By Steven Van Belleghem STEVEN VAN BELLEGHEM examines how the disruptions of 2020 have forced businesses to evolve and accelerated trends within the retail sector. It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge effect on our behaviour and the way sales channels are organised – but the trends that stand out, and the ones that will most affect us in the coming years, are not pandemic ‘native’ only.
How The Gaming World Is Changing Retail
By Reilly Stephens In 2019 Netflix CEO Reid Hastings sent an internal memo to shareholders addressing the competitive landscape and set out how Netflix would continue driving subscription and viewership. Only a couple of months prior, Disney had announced their foray into streaming, leaving many feeling uneasy, seeing Disney as an imminent threat to Netflix’ subscriber rate.
How to make Gen Z - and everyone else - love your brand
Posted February 01, 2021 | By Reilly Stephens With a new generation of consumers coming of age and economic power, REILLY STEPHENS advises the ways retailers can appeal to Gen Z without alienating their older customers. In 2017, soft drink brand Pepsi went to market with an advertisement that shook the marketing world.
Retail Reborn Episode 1: How Trauma Transforms the Consumer Psyche
Retail Reborn Episode 1: How Trauma Transforms the Consumer Psyche Via Business of Fashion In Episode 1 of BoF’s new podcast series, Doug Stephens and social psychologist Sheldon Solomon PhD examine the impact of collective traumas like Covid-19 on consumer behaviour. Author Reilly Stephens This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Privacy Policy
The Most Memorable Year We All Long to Forget
It’s difficult to believe that just shy of a year ago we and 37,000 of our colleagues in the global retail industry crowded into the Jacob Javits Center in New York City for the annual Coachella of retail, known as the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show”.
#RetailProphetAMA: How To Execute Experiences
#RetailProphetAMA: How To Execute Experiences In the post-pandemic retail world, the story a brand tells and how it tells it is more important than ever. When Rachel Shechtman launched STORY, in 2011 she did so with the belief that retail held the potential to be about more than the transaction – it could serve as a channel for branded, community-based storytelling – retail media. STORY offered the point of a magazine, changed like a gallery, and sold things like a store.
Donald Trump Turned Me into a Mugwump
Voting for Joe Biden is almost like voting against Trump twice. Published October 30, 2020 Nobody could believe this disreputable nincompoop had actually won the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States. Seemingly everyone had assailed the candidate as dishonest and shady throughout the campaign, and as a result the intelligentsia agreed that he had no chance.
#RetailProphetAMA: How Digital Will Transform Retail
#RetailProphetAMA: How Digital Will Transform Retail Ian Rogers is no stranger to the digital world. In fact, his whole career was built on it. A graduate in computer science from Indiana University, Rogers started his career in 1993 as a webmaster successively for Beastie Boys and at Winamp (sold to AOL in 1999). In 2001 he founded Mediacode, which was sold to Yahoo in 2003, where he became VP and General Manager, Music.
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Beauty In A Post-Pandemic World
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Beauty In A Post-Pandemic World Historically, global recessions have led to what experts call the “lipstick effect” – when consumers continue purchasing small luxury items, even during an economic downturn. In a world where masks and social distancing are the new normal – will this still reign true in the COVID-19 pandemic? And what can beauty brands and retailers do to remain competitive?
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Shopping Centers In A Post-Pandemic World
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Shopping Centers In A Post-Pandemic World The COVID-19 pandemic is projected to annihilate 50-60% of retail tenants in American malls and 50% of department stores over the next 12-18 months. Is the shopping center a thing of the past or is it being completely redefined for the digital age? What are the new expectations of consumers that will reshape retail of the future?
#RetailProphetAMA: Demystifying China’s “New Retail”
#RetailProphetAMA: Demystifying China’s “New Retail” Watch Doug Stephens, Founder and CEO of Retail Prophet and special guest Michael Zakkour, author of ‘New Retail Born in China Going Global’, as they do a deep-dive into China’s “New Retail” business model. What is it? Why was it vital in enabling Chinese retailers survival of COVID-19? And what can western retailers learn from its success?
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Physical Retail In A Post-Pandemic World
#RetailProphetAMA: The Future of Physical Retail In A Post-Pandemic World Has COVID-19 killed experiential retail? Prior to the pandemic, retailers were looking to experiential retail to bring new life into physical stores. Now, COVID-19 is creating challenges and opportunities for retailers both short term and long term. We were joined by Tal Zvi Nathanel from SHOWFIELDS to find out what the future of brick-and-mortar is and the unique ways retailers are delivering new experiences.
The Optics of Altruism
A brief history of brand activism Image via The Guardian By Reilly Stephens On May 25, 2020 the senseless killing of George Floyd set the world on fire – both literally and figuratively. People everywhere took to social media and the streets to call out systemic racism and police brutality. On June 2, the “Blackout Tuesday” movement was launched by music executives Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas of Atlantic Records.
Floorplate Podcast: The Future of Retail Stores with Doug Stephens
Floorplate Podcast: The Future of Retail Stores with Doug Stephens Doug sat down with Tim Benjamin from Floorplate to discuss what the future of retail means for commercial real estate developers and landlords. Listen to learn: How the relationship between physical and online retail works today (hint: there’s more to it than you think). How to win with physical stores. What kind of physical experiences appeal to younger consumers. Why the changing role of physical retail will impact rent models.
The Future of Retail In A Post-Pandemic World Roundup
The Future of Retail In A Post-Pandemic World Roundup On May 6, we took to Zoom to answer all of your retail questions live. We were overwhelmed by the response and thrilled to have nearly 500 registrants for the event. While we couldn’t get to all of your questions, we are excited to share that we will be hosting more events like this! More on that coming soon… If you missed it, you can check out the full live stream here. “Retail is a reflection of how we live.
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