Open thread 1/20/2026
This one’s not AI:
Continue reading →neo
The Brown Shirts of Minnesota
Hordes of leftist activists are roaming Minneapolis and some other areas of Minnesota, attacking anyone suspected of having something to do with ICE, and the police have apparently have been told to stand down. No doubt the hordes believe themselves … Continue reading →
For Martin Luther King Day: on supremacies and equality
[Today is Martin Luther King Day, and this is a repeat of a previous post. The first link in the speech, to the text of MLK’s 1960 DePauw speech, unfotunately isn’t working anymore.] From a speech Reverend Martin Luther King … Continue reading →
Open thread 1/19/2026
The Supergrandma athlete of YouTube
YouTube thought I’d really enjoy this video: I very quickly smelled an AI rat. First of all, I don’t think women ever compete on the pommel horse. But secondly, although there are some 75-year-olds who do remarkable things, this “Marha … Continue reading →
Khamenei says Trump made him do it
Rather predictably, Khamenei says it’s all Trump’s fault: Iranian authorities have repeatedly blamed the US for the mass demonstrations they have called “riots” and “terrorist” operations. Trump had threatened to strike Iran if it did not stop killing protesters, but … Continue reading →
There’s another socialist mayor in the US who just took office
Somehow, Mamdani got all the coverage, but there’s also a new socialist mayor in Seattle. That Overton Window sure has moved, especially with the younger generation: Mayor Katie Wilson has been less specific in her proposals than Mamdani, but she … Continue reading →
The plan for Venezuela
You may be surprised to know that there is a plan; Secretary of State Rubio describes it here. I’ve cued up two short segments: And here is some truly fascinating background from a Venezuelan with an improbable name:
Continue reading →Open thread 1/17/2026
On Iran’s future
Sometimes Trump is very clear about what he’s doing and why. But sometimes he’s using misdirection to provide cover for some other plan. He can be unpredictable and somewhat unreadable, or he can say what he means and mean what … Continue reading →
Replacing Obamacare: Trump’s health insurance plan
With all the more violent news going on, you may have missed the fact that the administration has unveiled a proposal to replace Obamacare. Some key elements: The Great Healthcare Plan calls for codifying the Trump Administration’s Most-Favored-Nation deals to … Continue reading →
Another roundup
(1) VDH is recovering from his surgery and explains quite a bit here, including the fact that his lung cancer was of a rare type that’s difficult to diagnose and often mimics infection/inflammation on scans. That explains a lot. The … Continue reading →