“Maverick is a seasoned military man who resolutely refuses to grow up. He remains stuck in the same rank he has occupied for years, attached to the same mentality, concerns, and priorities. Although three decades have passed, he hasn’t progressed, instead spending his time on rebellious flying, seaside sports, and drinking in dive bars. His is an arrested development. The most unrealistic aspect of this portrayal is that, in 2026, that profile would make Mav not a superannuated flight instructor, but secretary of defense.” (07/22/26)
“The greatest danger isn’t that China builds a better AI model. It’s that China builds the AI platform the rest of the world decides to use. Those are two very different contests.” (07/22/26)
“A recent Persuasion article by Andrea Miotti argues that ‘We Need an International Treaty to Ban Superintelligence.’ His argument—like that of many others in what we might call doomer circles—is that large-scale Generative AI systems, like ChatGPT and Claude, are fast approaching a sharp transition from their current trajectory to runaway superintelligence, at which point they may escape human control, reprogram themselves to adopt new, self-directed goals, and possibly wipe out humanity entirely. Everyone is familiar with this scenario because it’s a persistent trope of science fiction. We are constantly exposed to images of robots running amok, a staple of the modern entertainment ecosystem. … Unfortunately, the doomers seriously misrepresent the actual nature and risks of advanced AI, and often propose solutions that are both unrealistic and ineffectual.” (07/22/26)
“Currently, 29 out of 30 Major League Baseball teams host an annual ‘Pride Night’ celebration in June, featuring rainbow versions of the typical logo on caps and jerseys. … players always have the option to revert back to the standard uniform instead, but they may not alter their uniforms themselves in any aspect. Despite this ban, three San Francisco Giants players used Pride Night 2026 as an opportunity to protest. … In response, MLB formally warned the implicated players that they may not ‘write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment.’ … At first blush, MLB’s move might appear to be at odds with the freedoms of speech and free exercise guaranteed by the First Amendment. But the First Amendment bars the government from restricting our rights to speak and worship freely … Private employers have expansive discretion to limit an employee’s on-the-clock expression, like the players’ alteration of their caps.” (07/22/26)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Ehsan Mousavi
“We have all heard many times that hoarding is usually attributed to greed and is highly condemned. For example, in his book The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck attributes hoarding to greed and immoral profiteering, presenting it as a societal failure. In Canto VII of Dante’s Divine Comedy, he groups the hoarders together with the wasters, and states that they are forced to push heavy weights using their chests as their punishment. But is the pursuit of profit during a crisis merely an expression of greed, or does it serve a broader social purpose? Hayek would argue that it serves a crucial one.” (07/22/26)
“Well, well, look here. In its June 2026 update the venerated OED or Oxford English Dictionary, finally added the ‘new’ word, fearmonging. It explains fearmongering as ‘the action or an act of spreading fear or alarm among the public, esp. by exaggerating the dangers associated with a political, social, or economic issue; alarmism.’ Thank goodness, the dictionary has caught up to our society’s most pernicious habit; that is, using fear to sell anything. Especially when it comes to our health.” (07/22/26)
“Every major economic idea deserves more than campaign speeches and cable news debates. It deserves to be tested. Before anyone rushes to point to Scandinavia, Venezuela, Cuba, or any other country to argue whether socialism has succeeded or failed, I’d like to propose a different kind of test. To the Democratic Socialists of America and those who believe this economic model is the future, I have a sincere proposal: Take your principle seriously enough to apply it consistently.” (07/22/26)
“Last month, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. detailed six billion dollars worth of [alleged] Medicare fraud, where scamming operations were caught ‘chasing money from our agencies.’ Some while willfully neglecting patients. On Friday, he estimated that the HHS ‘loses $100,000,000,000 a year to theft.'” [editor’s note: HHS’s budget this year is $5 billion or so less than RFK Jr. estimates HHS loses every year. Some feat – TLK] (07/22/26)
