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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

History

Ed Hardy Went To Japan And Brought Back A Myth

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

A drawing of Giannis cleaning the windshield from the interior of the car.

This Is So Stupid

Just How Much Of The Exterior Of A 1997 Subaru Outback Could Giannis Clean From The Passenger Seat? A Scientific Inquiry

Patrick Redford

TOPSHOT - A car drives past a crack in the road on Highway 178, south of Trona, after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit in Ridgecrest, California, on July 4, 2019. - Southern California was rocked by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake Thursday morning, the US Geological Survey said, with authorities warning that the temblor, the largest in two decades, might not be the day's last. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Science

What Earthquakes Can Teach Us In The Search For Extraterrestrial Life

Albert Burneko

Olympics

What Kind Of Toilet Destruction Are We Talking About, Here?


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

I Miss My MTV

Kalyn Kahler

What It Feels Like To Have The Twisties

David Roth

SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 11: Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto watches batting practice before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on June 11, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. The Rangers won the game 2-1 in eleven innings. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

Jerry Dipoto Has Touched The Ultimate

Ray Ratto

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: DeMarvion Overshown #0 and D'Shawn Jamison #5 of the Texas Longhorns react after a turnover in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes during the Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome on December 29, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

College Football

There’s Room In The Future For A Big Fat SEC And Not Much Else

A photograph of Michael Irvin with the hideous image of Jerry Jones reflected in his sunglass lenses.

Michael Irvin Is The Future Of The COVID Vaccine Push

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JULY 25: A general view of the Oakland Athletics playing against the Los Angeles Angels in an empty stadium at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 25, 2020 in Oakland, California. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The A’s Get No Respect In Oakland, And Deserve None Either


<p><a href="https://twitter.com/mollylambert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molly Lambert</a> is a writer and podcaster in LA. Her podcast Heidi World about Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss comes out later this year.</p>


Molly Lambert

Police officers and protestors at a July protest against the Tokyo Olympics.

The Lies The Olympics Tells About Itself Have Never Rung More False

Triptych of McGruff, an ad promoting McGruff's album, and McGruff again

This McGruff Drug Album Might As Well Be By Weird Al

Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani high-five at the MLB All-Star Game's Home Run Derby

ESPN Has Found The Absolute Worst Way To Talk About The Absolute Coolest Stuff

<p>Dvora Meyers is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn. She writes about gymnastics and other topics in her newsletter, <a href="https://dvora.substack.com/">Unorthodox Gymnastics.</a></p>


Dvora Meyers

Simone Biles after landing a Yurchenko double pike dismount at the GK U.S. Classic.

Women’s Gymnastics Is Blasting Into The Future, But Its Scoring Code Is Stuck In The Past


<p>Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

A photo of new Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. He is wearing a suit and tie in Blazers colors. Behind him is a backdrop with the Blazers logo.

Here’s What Happened When Jane Doe Sued Chauncey Billups For Sexual Assault

Barry Petchesky

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 07: The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game Five to win the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

This Shit Is Hard

Anonymous

An eviction notice is posted and the lock is changed on a residence in the unincorporated community of Galloway on March 3, 2021 west of Columbus, Ohio.

Capital

The U.S. Is Failing Tenants, And It’s About To Get Even Worse

A protest sign is seen in front of the Montgomery County Courthouse ahead of the start of jury deliberations in the retrial of actor and comedian Bill Cosby's sexual assault case in Norristown, Pennsylvania on April 25, 2018.

Politics

Bill Cosby Didn’t Win

Check Out The Drama At This Hip Cookware Company, And Then Confront The Sucking Void At The Heart Of The Global Economy

Gymnastics

The Draw Of Simone Biles


<p>Amy Pedulla is a writer and audio producer. She can be reached at pedullaa@gmail.com.</p>


Amy Pedulla

Inside The Fight To Unionize CorePower Yoga

Lauren Theisen

Carl Nassib’s Coming Out Isn’t A Beginning Or An End

Cleveland Hughes wears Seahawks gear as he gets the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from Andrea Barnett during opening day of the Community Vaccination Site, a collaboration between the City of Seattle, First &amp; Goal Inc., and Swedish Health Services at the Lumen Field Event Center in Seattle, Washington on March 13, 2021. (Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP) (Photo by JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images)

What Do NFL Players Know About The COVID Vaccine? We Asked Them.

Luis Paez-Pumar

Venezuela's Ronald Hernandez celebrates after scoring against Ecuador during their Conmebol Copa America 2021 football tournament group phase match at the Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20, 2021.

Soccer

The Pain, Delusion, And Potential Glory In Rooting For Venezuela

Gerrit Cole of the Yankees rubs up a baseball, with what we can presume is nothing at all, just a normal thing you do with your hands.