In these head-spinning times, first principles about government are all in play: what it’s for, and how it relates to the people. Not long ago, Democrat and Republican politicians and activists differed over priorities: More guns or more butter? Today, the parties differ more fundamentally over the purpose, role and function of government itself. The… Continue reading Illinois Democrats Launch a Cultural Revolution
Next Week’s Heat Wave To Bake Californians
June is typically the month the wildfire season in California begins. The state is already battling an extreme drought, and the first heat wave of the season hit last week. The risks of another heat wave are increasing for next week. The hottest and most fire-prone months are nearing as a second heat wave of the… Continue reading Next Week’s Heat Wave To Bake Californians
Reddit Strikes Again: Explaining The Recent Reddit Rally in Wendy’s
Reddit did it again. You can’t be blamed for thinking that the short squeezes in January 2021 were a complete anomaly, not to be repeated. Market pundits have plenty of explanations for why, but it happened again. Last time, the main event was GameStop (GME), and this time it was (is?) AMC Entertainment (AMC). … Continue reading Reddit Strikes Again: Explaining The Recent Reddit Rally in Wendy’s
Fascist Coup in the USA! (The Business Plot of 1934)
Podcast: Download MYS146: In 1934, America was in the grips of the Great Depression and people were desperate for solutions. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli discuss the shadowy group of businessmen who began plotting to install an American fascist dictator and how close they came to succeeding. Get all new episodes automatically and for free:Follow using… Continue reading Fascist Coup in the USA! (The Business Plot of 1934)
Finland takes steps in the openness of academic journal pricing — Mostly Physics
(The title is a riff on my 2016 post announcing the efforts of Finnish open science activists to obtain pricing information through the courts.) Edit 1: I gave a comment for a Times Higher Education article on Elsevier’s negotiations. Edit 2: on Feb 2, 2018, FinELib released more details, including the level of total price… Continue reading Finland takes steps in the openness of academic journal pricing — Mostly Physics
History of U.S. Spies and How Intelligence is Gathered
It’s hard to beat a good spy movie. Whether someone is handing over classified information in public at a park exchange or secretly listening in on a high-level conversation, spies have always floated in the background of our media and our real lives. How does it actually work in real life though? We recently uncovered… Continue reading History of U.S. Spies and How Intelligence is Gathered
Why Strategic Communications is Like Porn
Over the past few years there have been a number of ongoing debates about what is Strategic Communications. In fact, some have even confused the term Public Diplomacy with Strategic Communications. I think that the US Supreme Court Case Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964), wherein Justice Potter Stewart in attempting to… Continue reading Why Strategic Communications is Like Porn
Exorcist Diary: Whose Voice in Your Head?
In the midst of sessions, the demons often diss us, especially the exorcist. They try to tear us down, even using sacred symbols. In the past they have criticized me for many things: “You don’t say Mass every day” (I missed a few days); “Some of you here did not go to confession today” (the… Continue reading Exorcist Diary: Whose Voice in Your Head?
Watch: Rand Paul Says “Elitist” Fauci Believes Americans Too Stupid To See Through “Pseudoscience”
Authored by Steve Watson via Summit News, Senator Rand Paul blasted Dr Fauci Wednesday, labelling him “an elitist” who believes Americans are not smart enough to make their own decisions about their health. Appearing on Newsmax, Paul noted “I think it’s this — it’s one-size-fits-all and his idea that the regular people aren’t smart enough… Continue reading Watch: Rand Paul Says “Elitist” Fauci Believes Americans Too Stupid To See Through “Pseudoscience”
How Do SVXY and VXX Work? Volatility (VIX) ETFs Explained
Outright speculation on future volatility is a pretty new phenomenon in financial markets. The mathematization of derivatives markets made traders realize that they’re primarily making bets on future volatility more so than price, which encouraged Wall Street to create more “pure play” products. The primary volatility products in US markets are VIX futures/options, and… Continue reading How Do SVXY and VXX Work? Volatility (VIX) ETFs Explained