neo
I keep checking the news on Iran …
… but it’s hard to know what’s really happening and hard to predict what will happen. It’s potentially transformative, though. A whole lot of dominoes could fall if Iran fell; Iran has been an enormous driver of terrorism and turmoil. … Continue reading →
The 10 greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th Century
I thought this ballet video purporting to show the ten greatest male dancers of the 20th century would be bad, but it’s kind of okay in many ways. However, one way it is annoying is that it can’t be embedded, … Continue reading →
A new policy for immigrants on welfare
It used to be that immigrants who came here legally had to make their own way. There were charities – often religious or ethnic-based – that helped somewhat. But immigrants had to work very very hard to make it out … Continue reading →
Intermittent fasting – not so great?
Intermittent fasting on various schedules is touted as being an effective weight loss tool, but it didn’t do a thing for me. Here’s some recent research: The findings suggest it may be calorie reduction rather than time-restricted eating itself that … Continue reading →
Open thread 1/10/2026
Is the Iranian government in its death throes or not?
There are reports of more protests and greater crackdowns on the protestors. Who will win this time?: As protests against Iran’s government swelled significantly in size on Thursday night, the regime responded in many places by opening fire. A Tehran … Continue reading →
Minnesota, hub of the left
So much news about Minnesota and especially Minneapolis these days. When I was younger, Minnesota wasn’t in the news all that much, and when it was it was either because of Hubert Humphrey or weather that could freeze you in … Continue reading →
Open thread 1/9/2026
A rehearsal of a bit of the Moiseyev’s dance “Partisans.” I saw it on stage in 1958 and it made an enormous impression on me. Still does:
Continue reading →The trade deficit is reduced
From Forbes: The trade deficit—a measurement by which the cost of a country’s imports is worth more than its exports—shrank to $29.4 billion in October, the narrowest gap since June 2009 and a 39% decrease from September ($48.1 billion), the … Continue reading →
The Russians and Chinese can’t be all that happy about the performance of their defense systems in Venezuela
This was one of the things that struck me the most about the recent US operation against Venezuela’s Maduro: … EurAsia Times, an Indian publication that is no friend of Trump, reported, “Boasting one of the strongest militaries in Latin … Continue reading →
Roundup
(1) Vance continues to serve up weak tea on the anti-Semitism among “influencers” such as Carlson: “I think we need to reject all forms of ethnic hatred, whether it’s antisemitism, anti-Black hatred, anti-white hatred,” he said. “And I think that’s … Continue reading →