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No, it’s not the Internet’s fault. It’s not the YAF’s fault. It’s not even entirely the Republican party’s fault. It’s the fault of modern American political conservatism, which encouraged vandalism and savagery and now finds itself a road company of   Lord of the Flies.   My sympathy is really quite limited. ~Charles P. Pierce

Blogger Duncan Black coined the “Freidman Unit” to refer to NYT columnist Tom   Friedman's frequent predictions during the Iraq War that "the next six months" would be the decisive turning point, a phrase he used repeatedly over several years without the decisive moment ever arriving.  Now, Sen. Kennedy reaches into the prophecy vault to revive the F.U. “ U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told a crowd of Iowa conservatives Saturday he believes current high inflation is being caused by the U.S.-Iran war — but said he sees an end to the conflict within six months.”   https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/09/19/us-sen-john-kennedy-in-iowa-predicts-end-of-iran-war-in-6-months/

From a pediatrician and fellow emeritus professor: “You want to know about vaccines? Okay. Here you go. “In 42 years, in about 150,000 patient encounters, I have only seen one child who had a bad reaction: localized severe angioedema of the arm, I.e., severe redness and swelling, where he got a DTaP. Even so, he responded well to oral antihistamines and did not need to be hospitalized.   “That’s it: one kid who did well with outpatient treatment. In 42 years. In about 150,000 patient encounters.   “Now, how many kids did the jabs I prescribed save from illness, hospitalization, even death? I’ll never know, but I know it’s tens of thousands.   “Vaccines are a miracle. Yet they are so much more. They are a pinnacle of human intellect, achievement, and compassion. They are essential to human life on this planet, and I will continue to urge everyone I know - and thousands I don’t - to get themselves and their children every vaccine that’s appropriate for them.   “Because...

It wasn’t Hitler or Himmler who deported me, beat me, and shot my family. It was the shoemaker, the milkman, the neighbor, who were given a uniform and then believed they were the master race. ~Karl Strojka, Auschwitz

“T he Pentagon has rolled out formal guidance for mandatory testosterone testing for male service members 30 and older, a policy that leaves out women for now and faces questions from medical experts about the need and efficacy of such a program.   “ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in July   that a new program to screen troops for “testosterone deficiency” was necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.” The new clinical guidance, released late Thursday, outlines how the program would work.   “The Pentagon’s efforts to test for low testosterone coincide with growing interest in the hormone that has been driven by men’s health influencers and podcasters, many of whom recommend the drug as a way to boost energy, muscle and feel younger.” There is *zero* evidence that circulating testosterone levels in American troops have *anything* to do with national security. So why is Whisky Pete spending your tax money on this project?   Two obvious reason...

Most of our retirement and savings portfolios are in equities. While we have been investors for over 40 years, we don’t gamble with stocks or tried to time the market. We’ve never borrowed to buy stocks. If you’re a stock market gambler, now might be a good time to fold ‘em. “Margin debt went from $850.6 billion in April 2025 to $1.502 trillion in June 2026. That is 77% in 14 months. In the 30-year history of this data, that kind of move has happened three other times. All three were immediately followed by significant stock market declines. April 2025 is worth noting as a starting point. Stocks sold off sharply that month during the tariff uncertainty. Investors pulled back on borrowing. Then markets recovered. The AI rally picked back up. Investors started borrowing again, and kept borrowing all the way through June 2026 without stopping. “Retail investors borrowing through brokerage accounts are one piece of the leverage picture. Hedge fund gross borrowing hit $7.2 trillion in July ...