“Officials at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have warned that the institution is nearing bankruptcy and could be forced to close as early as Tuesday, Sept. 15, according to multiple reports. In documents obtained by The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Kennedy Center’s current leadership — which was installed by President Donald Trump — argued that the institution faces ‘certain fiscal collapse’ unless the president’s name is added back to its facade. … The draft resolution claims that within a few weeks the institution will not be able to pay employees or meet maintenance costs, according to the Post. … ‘The board understands that without such appropriate recognition it is unlikely that President Trump will provide the fundamental oversight of the renovation of the main building and lead the fiscal rescue of the center,’ the draft resolution states, the Times reported.” (09/14/26)
“A mosaic is made of broken things. So is a civilization worth rebuilding. Recently, I found an out-of-print book by an author who is clearly a torchbearer. It struck me that his three spheres illuminated something fundamental. His name was Spencer Heath, and in 1957 he published Citadel, Market and Altar. Heath’s civilization comprises three primary spheres. 1. Citadel is the sphere of protection, where what is vital is secured and defended. 2. Market is a sphere of cooperation where we serve each other in reciprocity and mutual benefit. 3. Altar is the sphere of consecration, where art, philosophy, and divinity express our higher-order aspirations. From a sufficient altitude, we can view underthrow through these spheres.” (09/14/26)
“Americans live in a perpetual state of war. Although Congress has not formally declared war since 1942, U.S. presidents have repeatedly deployed troops overseas based on United Nations resolutions, congressional authorizations, or their own executive power—as President Donald Trump has in Iran. But the power that presidents possess in matters of national security is not the product of an inevitable expansion of the executive authority. Congress builds the imperial presidency one step at a time. At key moments in U.S. history and in response to international threats, Congress has made deliberate decisions that have resulted in presidents being allowed to deploy troops and assert executive power over civil liberties. One of the most consequential moments came in the aftermath of the horrific attacks of 9/11.” (09/14/26)
“Beijing rejects ‘groundless’ reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with satellite images of a military base housing US troops in Jordan, before and after an Iranian strike killed three American soldiers. The reports by the Wall Street Journal over the weekend related to July 17 missile strikes launched by Iran on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Unnamed American officials cited in the Journal’s reporting did not name the Chinese entities involved, and did not suggest that Beijing was directly to blame.” (09/14/26)
“For much of human history, moving house has been a death-defying ordeal. When pioneer Loren Hastings reached Portland, Oregon, in 1847, he looked back on the Oregon Trail and called it a ‘graveyard.’ Today, you can pack up everything you own and move anywhere in the country without risking life and limb. Convenience has made nomads of us all, turning a tedious and life-threatening experience into one that requires minimal time and effort. It does not matter whether you live in a Texas Hill Country ranch house or in a 500-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the click-and-tap world of same-day delivery made possible by capitalism, it has never been easier to pull up stakes and move to new digs.” (for publication 10/26)
“If you’ve followed my interviews, you know I’ve been warning about the high likelihood of a third round of the war – one that would almost certainly be far more intense than the previous two. I’ve also argued that, given Trump’s erroneous reading of the current balance, perhaps the only diplomatic wildcard that could pull us back from this looming disaster is Beijing deciding to step in and force a settlement. I discussed precisely this with Glenn Diesen on his show just yesterday. Hours later, President Xi Jinping declared China’s willingness to use its diplomatic clout to help end the war.” (09/14/26)
“Polls closed on Monday across an autonomous Muslim region of the Philippines that waited decades to choose its own leaders, with officials praising a successful election despite sporadic violence. The parliamentary election was the culmination of a sometimes-bumpy peace process that began in the late 1990s and established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the country’s far south. More than two million voters were eligible to vote for 80 parliament seats that had previously been filled by appointees. … Gunfire erupted outside a polling station at a Cotabato school before polls opened, killing three people and wounding 15 others.” (09/14/26)
