Eccentricity Crisis Sam Buntz Through its educational priorities and excessive fixation on the quantifiable, the U.S. only supports forms of eccentricity that lend themselves to some immediately definable commercial goal, while neglecting any that have to do with pure curiosity. Hence, we’re lobbing gobs of money at the Sam Altmans and Elon Musks of the world, while forsaking interest in reality…
Real Genius Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see. – Arthur Schopenhauer
Saruman or Adrian Vermeule? As the Power grows, its proved friends will also grow; and the Wise, such as you and I, may with patience come at last to direct its courses, to control it. We can bide our time, we can keep our thoughts in our hearts, deploring maybe evils done by the way, but approving the high and ultimate purpose: Knowledge, Rule, Order; all the things that we have so far striven in…
Difficult on purpose Jonah Goldberg: For obvious reasons, I don’t trust Trump with unchecked power. But I also wouldn’t trust Abdul Al-Sayed, or Bernie Sanders, or anyone else with unchecked power. Indeed, the fact that these people tend to believe that obstacles and inconveniences on their quest for ever-more power are somehow illegitimate or unfair is precisely why I don’t trust them with power.
Real Casualties Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old Army private from a Dallas suburb, was one of the three U.S. service personnel killed over the weekend because of Donald Trump’s lack of impulse control. Real death, real grief; not that he cares. But the rest of us should.
Messi notwithstanding, this is just terrible. From The Athletic: Argentina standing with their backs to the presentation as Spain players go up to receive their medals. More from Darron Richman on The Athletic: … Argentina shamed themselves from beginning to end and even beyond the final whistle. They were an embarrassment. Oh, and this is nice too. Post-match. Leandro Paredes, ……
“Well, that didn’t work. Or that. Or that.” What now for Iran? Richard Haas: It is important to keep in mind that economic shortcomings still constitute the principal weakness of the Iranian regime. There is no reason to give up on the notion that economic pressure can lead to policy moderation or conceivably even regime change down the road. Economic relief for Iran should thus…
Why am I not surprised? Like calls to like: Paxton struck back with Texas heavyweights…. The single $250,000 donation from Jones, the Cowboys owner, dwarfed any individual celebrity contribution to Talarico. Dallas Morning News, July 18, 2026
The Great Photography of Gordon Parks Via Colossal
World Cup Especially for England (but for France, too), having to play a stupid 3rd-place game amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
Pedro Porro!
Only Too True ‘Now, Julian, we don’t want a sermon,’ said Winifred. ‘You know Mildred would never do anything wrong or foolish.’ I reflected a little sadly that this was only too true and hoped I did not appear too much that kind of person to others. Virtue is an excellent thing and we should all strive after it, but it can sometimes be a little depressing. Barbara Pym, Excellent Women (1952)
Skill nostalgia or Necessary Calibration ? This may resonate with some micro.bloggers: “The radical reasons why you dream of making things by hand”
Subsidiarity and Repair Too many essays about [name your American institution (in this essay, it was scouting)] end with the same refrain: It isn’t what it used to be, so I’m leaving. Sometimes, that’s the right decision. Institutions can lose their way, and there are moments when fidelity to conscience requires us to walk away. But increasingly I wonder whether our first instinct has become…
Two from Cataggio ... imagining an idealized America that never actually existed and then getting mad that modern America doesn’t look more like it is basically Populism 101. Postliberalism’s core conviction is that any policy problem can be solved with sufficient ruthlessness.
Archie through the grass
Finished reading Nonesuch by Francis Spufford. A ripping plot, fascinating setting (London during the Blitz), spunky (to say the least) protagonist, and real themes about important things. I enjoyed it enormously.
from Colossal Animals and Ornament Emerge from Felted Wool in Holly Guertin’s Textiles
No voice, but I removed my shoes just in case
RIP, Robert Coles Here’s a sweet remembrance of Robert Coles , one of America’s great champions of children, written by one of my favorite photographers, Alex Harris . A Wikipedia article about Coles is here .
King Harvest
Vacation
Finished reading… A Month in the Country, by J.L. Carr. Wonderful, wistful, lovely book. As economical as a poem. “For goodness’ sake,” he said irritably, “I don’t mean that and you know I don’t, you cagey devil. I mean here, Oxgodby, the friends you’ve made, this marvelous summer, the splendid job you’ve done. I mean the lot. You can only…
Rocks and Trees
The (Unofficial) Feast of GKC To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.