Wait… are duels coming back?

A Missouri state senator has evidently been watching a bit too much Hamilton. The senator proposed a rule change that would allow his colleagues to challenge each other to a duel. His proposal stipulates that the duel happen at “high noon” and that the senators agree to “choice of weapons.”

Now, listen, we’re no experts in conflict resolution, but is using “I-messages” really more effective than a high-noon revolver battle? C-SPAN, buckle up.

In today's edition:

🔑 Key Story

Ohio Bans U18 Trans Surgery

Ohio’s legislature banned minors from undergoing gender transition-related medical procedures

• Last December, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) vetoed a Republican-led bill that would have banned minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or transition-related surgery. It also would have banned trans women from women’s sports

• Republicans vowed to override DeWine’s veto, a process which requires ⅗ support in both houses

• On Wednesday, they did so, meaning the bill will become law in 90 days. The law will allow minors already receiving trans-related care to continue doing so, but that will not apply to out-of-state patients

🔑 Key Story

First Nitrogen Execution

Alabama executed an inmate using nitrogen gas, the first time that method has been used in the US

• Last May, following a series of botched lethal injections, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that Alabama could begin using a new execution method, nitrogen hypoxia. That procedure forces inmates to breathe in pure nitrogen until they die

• Officials scheduled Kenneth Smith, a convicted murderer, to be the first to die that way. Smith had survived a previous lethal injection attempt in 2022

• Courts rejected Smith’s appeals, and on Thursday, Alabama officials executed him. He died at 8:25 PM

🔑 Key Story

Gene Therapy Cures Deafness

Chinese and US scientists achieved breakthroughs in using gene therapy to treat deafness

• ~200,000 people globally suffer from a rare genetic disorder that causes a mutation in a single gene, otoferlin, leading to deafness

• Using a new gene therapy, though, Philadelphia researchers restored hearing to an 11-year-old boy last October, the first such procedure in the US

• On Wednesday, a team of Chinese and US researchers announced that using a similar method, they restored hearing to four of five deaf children. That study was published in the journal The Lancet

🔑 Key Story

Cable TV Ratings

Dismal ratings for cable TV networks have dispelled hopes of a “Trump bump” for viewership during the lead-up to the 2024 election

• Cable TV networks anticipate a surge in TV ratings ahead of presidential elections, which in recent years has been dubbed the “Trump bump”

• This year, though, the Trump bump has not materialized: This year’s Iowa Caucus viewership declined 72% for CNN from 2020, 36% for MSNBC, and 36% for Fox. New Hampshire primary viewership was also down 

• One TV executive attributed that to voter “fatigue” over both major candidates. Others attributed it to people getting news elsewhere

⚓ Dive Deeper

• A quick six extra updates for the day: Read the Rundown

• Dive deeper into Ohio’s ban on trans surgery

• Dive deeper into the US’ first nitrogen execution

• Dive deeper into gene therapy for deafness

• Dive deeper into cable TV’s falling election ratings

⚓ Dive Deeper

• A quick six extra updates for the day: Read the Rundown

• Dive deeper into Ohio’s ban on trans surgery

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Your subscription enables us to operate independent of outside influence. Want to learn more and believe in media that can speak freely? Try a two-week free trial!

🗣 Community

Daily Poll

Yesterday’s Poll: Do you use the same password for multiple accounts?

Yes: 64%
No: 36%

🍿 Happy Hour

🏈 Boutte bettin’ everywhere: Louisiana police arrested former LSU football star and current New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte for sports betting violations. He allegedly placed 8,900+ bets between April 2022 and May 2023, when he was still at LSU

🐴 Amish mafia: Police reported the theft of an Amish family’s horse and buggy from a Michigan Walmart parking lot. Police later located and arrested the alleged theft at a nearby motel

🌯 “Burrito Season” is approaching: Chipotle aims to hire 19,000 new employees for the upcoming “burrito season,” which the company says runs from March to May, their busiest time

🪣 Move it, bucket head: San Diego Humane Society officials rescued a coyote — which they initially thought was a dog — with its head trapped in a bucket from the flooded Tijuana River Valley

😳 False Bill of goods? The Atlanta Falcons hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their head coach, passing on ex-Patriots coach Bill Belichick

🍔 In-N-75 Years Later-Out: In-N-Out Burger announced the closure of its Oakland, California, location on March 24 due to crime. It’s the first time the chain has ever closed a location

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🗣 Community

20 Questions

Roca Nation, today we're going to break out that nostalgia pack. Yesterday, amid news about the continued decline of childhood magazine staples like Sports Illustrated and National Geographic, we did a lot of reminiscing. Indeed, much of the world we grew up in — with Rainforest Cafe, ESPN Zone, and scented erasers — is gone.

So, let's get nostalgic today with today’s 20 Questions. We can't wait to hear your answers. Have a great weekend.

🗣 Community

Last Week’s 20 Questions

Last week we ran a Roca classic: The "this or that" TV show edition, where you picked your favorite TV show or character from each prompt. We bolded the winning choice per prompt below.

1. Walter White or Tony Soprano?

   Walter White

   Tony Soprano

2. Spongebob or Homer Simpson?

   Spongebob

   Homer Simpson

3. The Office or Friends?

   The Office

   Friends

4. HBO or Netflix?

   HBO

   Netflix

5. House of Cards or Jimmy Neutron?

   House of Cards

   Jimmy Neutron

6. Kramer or George?

   Kramer

   George

7. Game of Thrones or Succession?

   Game of Thrones

   Succession

   Neither

8. Reality TV or sit-coms?

   Reality TV

   Sit coms

9. The Kardashians or literally anyone else?

   The Kardashians

   Literally anyone else

10. Dr. Phil or Judge Judy?

    Dr. Phil

    Judge Judy

11. South Park or Family Guy?

    South Park

    Family Guy

12. Planet Earth or Avatar the Last Airbender?

    Planet Earth

    Avatar the Last Airbender

13. Better narrator: David Attenborough or Morgan Freeman?

    David Attenborough

    Morgan Freeman

14. Big Bang Theory or Drake & Josh?

    Big Bang Theory

    Drake & Josh

15. Spongebob theme song or The Office theme song?

    Spongebob theme

    The Office theme

16. Conan O'Brien or Jimmy Fallon?

    Conan O'Brien

    Jimmy Fallon

17. Lost or Survivor?

    Lost

    Survivor

18. The Bachelor or Jeopardy!?

    The Bachelor

    Jeopardy!

19. Downton Abbey or Mad Men?

    Downton Abbey

    Mad Men

    Neither

20. The Walking Dead or Jersey Shore?

    The Walking Dead

    Jersey Shore

     

🧠 Editor’s Note

Final Thoughts

Newer readers won’t know this, but 20 Questions was originally a reader suggestion (shoutout, Tom Murphy!). A few years later, here we are still doing it.

We love reading your responses and always find them fascinating. We hope you have a great weekend, and please don’t get caught up in any duels.

—Max and Max