“Short sellers betting against SpaceX have accumulated an estimated $15.5 billion in paper profits after the company’s shares fell sharply below their initial public offering (IPO) price, Reuters reported, citing data from analytics firm Ortex Technologies. The stock has declined 28% over the past month and fell another 6.7% in the previous trading session on July 22. On Wednesday, SpaceX shares dropped to a fresh low of $115.26, extending losses from their post-IPO peak of $225.64. The stock is now trading well below its IPO price of $135. Short selling involves borrowing shares and selling them with the expectation of buying them back later at a lower price, allowing traders to profit from a decline in the stock price.” (07/23/26)
“In 1923, New York police entered Broadway’s Apollo Theater and shut down an English-language production of a popular Yiddish play, Sholem Asch’s Got fun nekome (‘God of Vengeance’). Officers arrested the entire cast and production team, including prominent First Amendment lawyer Harry Weinberger of Abrams v. United States fame. The raid led to a sprawling obscenity trial that sharply divided the New York Jewish community. Got fun nekome was supposedly ‘obscene’ because it portrayed a Jewish family that defied norms of gender and social status. … Some Jewish leaders at the time feared that the play’s portrayal of Jews would inflame antisemitic stereotypes. … let Sholem Asch’s words guide us now. The mere fact that a message could provoke ill will toward Jews does not justify stamping it out in the name of Jewish safety.” (07/23/26)
“Renewables are not just for highfalutin hippies, they’re cheaper and avoid the volatility of wars and chaotic leaders. We are not living the 1970s oil shock moment; there are alternatives to fossil fuels. Those who embrace renewable energy will be better off—from health benefits for communities to reducing energy shock burdens for households. The reality unfolding during this latest oil war is that many nations really do not want to be tethered to volatile energy resources. And who can blame them?” (07/23/26)
“The landmark nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia is dependent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords recognising the State of Israel, President Donald Trump has said. ‘The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!)… which pertains only to non-military use… will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,’ Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump’s remarks come after criticism from experts that the deal could run the risk of future nuclear proliferation in an already unstable region. Saudi Arabia has previously said it would not recognise Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.” (07/23/26)
“AConstitution that divides power among three branches and between the federal government and the states needs an umpire. Politicians, responding either to their own interest in expanding their authority or to public passions, will frequently overstep constitutional boundaries. Through judicial review, the Supreme Court therefore serves as a neutral arbiter charged with maintaining the Constitution’s boundaries. But the Court itself is an institution that must respect its own boundaries. Thus, in every constitutional case, the preliminary question is whether the Court can reach and resolve the constitutional issue in a manner consistent with the proper limits on its own power. This term, in two of its most notable cases, Trump v. Barbara and Trump v. Cook, the Court transgressed those constraints.” (07/23/26)
“The key to understanding the difference is the noun. In social democracy, the priority is democracy. Under democratic socialism, the emphasis is on socialism, with democracy reduced to a mere modifier. Social democrats want to remediate some of the injustice and unfairness that comes with unfettered capitalism. I get it: After all, I lived through the Russia of the 1990s. Ultimately, whatever disagreements I have with social democrats, we share common ground as democrats. The same cannot be said for many socialists.” (07/23/26)
“Britain said on Thursday it had withdrawn remaining diplomatic staff from Iran as the fighting between Iran and the United States increases. ‘Due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,’ the Foreign Office said on its website. In June, Britain withdrew its embassy staff from Iran, following other European nations as well as Australia and New Zealand.” (07/23/26)
