“Public executions (what comes to mind is the Reign of Terror in France) may have been the order of the day in 1789 at the time of the Constitution, but they have certainly been viewed as barbaric in contemporary times. When the Hasan execution was still a live possibility, Vice President JD Vance said he doubted the livestream would take place, adding that he wouldn’t watch it anyway, as did Speaker Mike Johnson. A poll released last Thursday showed Americans were overwhelmingly against the whacko idea. Despite the cancellation, religious scholars worry it did damage.” (10/22/26)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“The more children Israel kills, the more unpopular it becomes. The more unpopular Israel becomes, the more violently we are throat-fucked with the narrative that ‘antisemitism’ is a major problem in our society. The UK’s Department for Education has released a 107-page review which asserts that much more needs to be done to protect Jewish students in England from discrimination. In and of itself this sounds perfectly reasonable, until you look at the actual document. The review, led by Sir David Bell, mentions the word ‘political’ or ‘geopolitical’ no fewer than 125 times. It mentions the word ‘Israel’ or ‘Israeli’ 60 times and the word ‘Palestine’ or ‘Palestinian’ 35 times. So, as always, it is clear that this isn’t actually about protecting a religious minority from persecution.” (10/22/26)
“We’ve previously used a tool we call the Free Speech Map to show how tolerant different groups are of hypothetical campus speakers, often as a way to assess how certain traits cause or are linked to tolerance. In our newest College Free Speech Rankings, we asked students where they get their news, including an option for social media. So let’s put that question onto the free speech map …” (10/22/26)
“The supply of land is constrained. An increase in demand for a location thus means higher land prices. If zoning and building rules also constrain the supply of buildings and housing, then increased demand for a location will also make those buildings and housing expensive …. Mike Bird in The Land Trap explores these relationships with a gallop through history starting in ancient Babylon, arriving in the late 19th century in western Europe and the United States—he pays appropriate homage to George—then ends the book with chapters on Japan, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore.” (10/22/26)
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Jayanta Bhattacharya
“At the root of the scientific revolution was the idea that there was not and should never be a scientific authority. For centuries, a small number of ecclesiastical powers had decided such questions as whether the moons of Jupiter move. The scientific revolution placed these questions in the hands of a lot of very smart scientists, including those with telescopes. Unfortunately, we find ourselves back in a situation today, as demonstrated a few years ago by the Covid lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccination requirements, where a relatively small number of people—directors of government agencies like the National Institutes of Health, heads of international agencies like the World Health Organization, and editors of prestigious journals—have the power to say what is true or false in science.” (10/22/26)
Source: Niskanen Center
by Sanya Bahal & Joshua McCabe
“The birth of a child and the months that follow mark a special period in a family’s life. While it is a joyous occasion, it can also be a time of acute stress on family finances. The cost of baby supplies and childcare can significantly increase a family’s spending while household income declines over the same period. This financial dynamic is nearly universal, impacting parents whether they are single, cohabiting, or married.” (10/22/26)
Source: Bluegrass Institute
by Caleb O Brown, Michael F Cannon, & Niklas Kleinworth
‘Obamacare premiums are rising faster than Congress can subsidize them. Legislation proposed in the last session would have pulled Kentucky out of this nosedive and saved Kentuckians 60 percent or more on their health insurance.” (10/22/26)
“A caller to my show rattled off President Donald Trump’s supposed ‘racist’ sins: Trump called African countries ‘shithole’ countries; he refused to rent to blacks; he said he did not want blacks counting his money at his casinos — he wanted Jews to do the counting; and he demeans black politicians like Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) by calling her ‘low IQ.’ Who does that? Donald John Trump, that’s who. Yes, Trump denounces some black politicians, specifically some black Democrat politicians whom Trump feels have unfairly and viciously attacked him. But Trump, unlike most Republicans who tiptoe around black Democratic antagonists for fear of being called racist, drops a colorblind hammer.” (10/22/26)
“When Democrats dream about how big their ‘blue wave’ might be on November 3, they tend to draw on historical comparisons: Can the party replicate its success of 2018, when Democrats picked up 40 seats in the House but failed to take back the Senate, or perhaps even 2006, when Democrats swept to majorities in both chambers? Perhaps no one is more bullish on the party’s prospects than Democratic pollster John Anzalone, who recently reached all the way back to 1994 in search of a possible precedent. This election ‘feels much more like 1994 than any other cycle I have been through in 40 years,’ Anzalone wrote on X. Now that was a wave election.” (10/22/26)
“Until recently, you’ve had no choice but to be a passive participant in the electrical grid, paying exorbitantly for the juice that flows into your home. But you’re about to play a much more active role — if you’re not already — and get paid to send power from your home battery or electric vehicle to the energy system. Even if you’re a renter, you may be able to buy solar panels that plug into a wall outlet, turning your balcony into your own tiny power plant. Earlier this month, a punishing California heat wave showed just how this more flexible grid can help absorb spikes in demand.” (10/22/26)
