Galaxy Brain, 07/24/26
Source: The Atlantic
“Is AI the End of Cheap Tech?” (07/24/26)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/07/why-ai-is-making-things-more-expensive/688055
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
Aiming at the Gulf, Iran shoots itself in the foot
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Qamar CheemaMir & Ahmad Murtiza
“For decades, Iran has sought to diminish America’s military presence and political influence in the Middle East. Yet some ambitions carry within them the seeds of their own undoing. The very policies intended to push out the United States have instead strengthened the rationale for Washington’s continued engagement. Before the erosion of its regional axis, Iran based its security doctrine on forward defense, projecting influence beyond its borders to keep threats at bay. However, what Tehran regarded as a defensive strategy, the Persian Gulf states perceived as an expansionist bid for regional primacy. As a result, they deepened their security ties with Washington, making the U.S. military presence more indispensable to Gulf security rather than less.” (07/24/26)
Israel in Crisis: A Threat from Within
Source: Informed Comment
by Yajov M Rabkin
“Montreal (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – ‘If the state sends people, soldiers, for the honor of the state, and they kill people, is that permissible? It is plain murder. They [the government] incite murder. This is what they do. They wage wars not to save lives, but only for the honor of the state. Certainly, this is not new. So, is this permitted? Just to raise the status of the state or something else?’ These are not the words of a left-wing anti-Israeli activist from an Ivy League campus. They were spoken on July 19, 2026, by the 96-year-old Rabbi Dov Lando, a senior member of the Council of Torah Sages in Israel.” (07/24/26)
ME: Democrats officially select Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner
Source: Politico
“Troy Jackson has officially secured the Democratic nomination to replace Graham Platner — and now has 101 days to win a race that could determine whether Democrats control the Senate. The Maine Democratic Party convened Saturday morning and voted to make Jackson, a progressive fifth-generation logger and former state Senate president, their nominee.The party has its eyes set on what’s been a white whale for Democrats: knocking out five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Jackson has been hitting Collins since he entered the race following former Senate nominee Graham Platner’s exit from the race less than three weeks ago.” (07/25/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/25/maine-democrats-select-troy-jackson-graham-platner-01012130
Serious Trouble, 07/24/26
Source: Serious Trouble
“Andrew and Tristan Tate are detained pending extradition to the UK; a fired interim US Attorney sues to get his job back; people file stupid defamation lawsuits.” (07/24/26)
Keep Washington Out Of Artificial Intelligence Education
Source: Karl Dickey’s Freedom Vanguard
by Karl Dickey
“I got an email in my Inbox last night from Sen. Rick Scott, all proud that he’s introduced the ‘Safeguard Kids Act’ with the intention of protecting students K-12 from the evil risks of artificial intelligence (AI). I find his proposal preposterous for a few reasons, but much like my article last night on the SCOTUS reversal of Roe v. Wade, Washington has no place in our students’ local classrooms. While I agree with Scott that AI will likely be the greatest information innovation since Guttenberg’s printing press, his solution is misguided. The last thing AI needs is the stagnation of a federal government bureaucracy. I thought we were closing down the U.S. Dept of Education, anyway; what happened to that notion?” (07/24/26)
https://palmbeachexaminer.substack.com/p/keep-washington-out-of-artificial
The Rise and Rise of E-Spirituality
Source: Persuasion
by Leonora Barclay
“Witches, spells, tarot are taking Gen Z by storm.” (07/24/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-internet-provides-what-jesus
India: “Cockroach” protest called off after education minister quits
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called off its five-week-long protest, hours after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. The CJP has called it a win for democracy and thousands of jubilant supporters continue to celebrate at Jantar Mantar, the main protest venue in Delhi. An online satirical campaign with an AI-generated cockroach as its mascot, the CJP is not a real party but has evolved into a powerful platform for young people’s anxieties and dissent. The protest has been the most visible expression of public anger against PM Narendra Modi’s government in recent years and gained momentum after Monday’s police crackdown on people marching to parliament left dozens injured.” (07/25/26)
The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan, 07/24/26
Source: The Weekly Dish
“Robby George On Natural Law And Christianity.” (07/24/26)
https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/robby-george-on-natural-law-and-christianity
What if Canada Did an IPO?
Source: EconLog
by Valentin Boboc
“Can a private company be worth more than Canada’s entire economy? Some people seem to think so. Every so often, a superstar company, usually in the tech sector, hits a record valuation, prompting comparisons to a country’s GDP. For example, NVIDIA’s market capitalization surpassed Canada’s GDP in 2025. By May 2026, the chip designer was worth more than the annual GDP of every country except the United States and China. The reason this comparison doesn’t give us much information beyond the emotional reaction is that the two numbers are measured in different units, so they are incomparable.” (07/24/26)