Source: Foreign Policy
by Howard W French

“From Hegseth’s plans to Trump’s theatrics, it’s hard to know what to be most outraged about.” (10/14/26)

https://archive.is/0fQ4w

Source: Independent Institute
by Ivan Eland

“President Donald Trump is correct that Ukraine’s survival matters more for Europe’s security than it does for U.S. security. After all, during the Cold War, the United States lived with a more powerful Soviet Union that included Ukraine. Therefore, he is right to expect wealthy NATO countries to pay more for Ukraine’s defense. Yet Trump has gone too far by essentially changing sides and backing aggressive Russian President Vladimir Putin; in contrast, President Joe Biden, Trump’s predecessor, had backed Ukraine wholeheartedly. Trump has blamed Ukraine for a war that Russia started by its invasion and has pressured the defending country to achieve peace by giving up territory it has not lost militarily.” (10/14/26)

https://www.independent.org/article/2026/10/14/whose-side-is-trump-really-on-in-ukraine-russia-war/

Source: David Friedman’s Substack
by David Friedman

“Someone invents an inexpensive and reliable way in which parents can choose the gender of their offspring. From the economic standpoint, this represents an increase in quality — you get a child of your preferred gender instead of a fifty-fifty chance — at no significant increase in cost. Increased quality at constant cost corresponds to decreased cost at constant quality; you are now getting more for your money. Lowering the cost of something increases the quantity demanded. Do you conclude that, as a result of the new invention, the birth rate goes up? If not, why not? Are children Giffen goods?” (10/14/26)

https://daviddfriedman.substack.com/p/puzzles

Source: Understanding AI
by Dan Kagan-Kans

“How do we know the company’s stated reasons for firing three safety researchers are its actual reasons?” (10/14/26)

https://www.understandingai.org/p/openais-ironic-credibility-problem

Source: Expression
by Sean Stevens

“Campus deplatforming attempts have reached a disturbing new milestone. For the first time since FIRE began tracking these incidents, more than 200 attempts to prevent invited speakers from appearing on campus have been recorded in a single year — and 2026 still has nearly three months to go. The previous record, set just last year, has already been shattered. And the problem isn’t confined to one side of the political spectrum.” (10/14/26)

https://expression.fire.org/p/campus-deplatformings-hit-record