Articles from 2023
694 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
-
Fun and/or Interesting
This is not nice
Quick Bites: New border scam… “Ebony Alerts” in California… Netflix pop-ups… A sort of sensible trans debate… Test yourself on the history of water sports This is not nice. As you know, I think Biden’s open…
Read full post -
Readers Write
From AS re the piece about Ayn Rand in the Oct. 17 issue
“I have always loved Ayn Rand. I’ve read her novels and some of her short stories. While reading her books, I always stop and think, ‘She came here from Russia when she was 19 and is writing these books in her…
Read full post -
Postscript
Golf? Why?
Thinking about my recent week in Myrtle Beach, where I joined old friends for a week of golfing (but didn’t golf because I stopped enjoying golf two years ago), here’s a bit by Robin Williams that echoes my…
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Why I’m a Conservative, Part III
In Part I and Part II of this longish essay, I tried to make two points. In Part I, I pointed out that one of the reasons humans have survived for 160,000+ years is that they became sapient. And, as Yuval…
Read full post -
The Economy & Investing
ADUs Are Hot
If you don’t know what an ADU is, you are in need of some emergency investment education. ADUs (accessory dwelling units) are miniature houses the size of a large tool shed that are outfitted as complete…
Read full post -
Health & Wellness
Blood Pressure Drugs: Are They Any Better (or Safer) Than Statins?
For the last 10 years, PB, one of my trainers, has been taking my blood pressure at least three times every time I train. Two or three times a week. In all that time, my systolic numbers ranged from 110 to…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
He’s Back!
If you’ve seen any of the films he’s been featured in – especially Free Solo, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary – I don’t have to tell you that he’s an amazing athlete, an astonishingly high-level…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
Ayn Rand
In the early 1960s, Ayn Rand was one of the most influential intellectuals in America. Today, her first name appears now and then in crossword puzzles. If you don’t know who she is, here’s a brief…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
I’ve started following a few vlogs and blogs from defectors from North Korea
Quick Bites: The “Voice of North Korea,” Bye Bye Biden, Bots in the Boardroom, the Return of the Panther, and a Lot of Hot Air I’ve started following a few vlogs and blogs from defectors from North Korea…
Read full post -
Readers Write
From SL
“Have you read Boomsday by Chris Buckley? Great satire, and increasingly relevant today.” My Response: I have not read it, SL. I do know that, according to Wikipedia, it’s a political satire about the rivalry…
Read full post -
Postscript
Michael Jackson's Beat It Reimagined On Guzheng
Beat It by Michael Jackson – reimagined on the traditional Chinese guzheng. Click here.
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Israel! Go to Hell!
In response to the attack on Israel by Hamas, Bari Weiss introduced Tuesday’s issue of The Free Press by saying: “On the one hand I think: Surely this will be sufficient. Surely this amount of blood will be…
Read full post -
The Economy & Investing
Will Boomers Save the Economy?
Rates Rising = Less Spending = Looming Recession. Right? That’s what I expected. I’ve been puzzled by how the Fed’s rate increases haven’t significantly reduced consumer spending. I mean I was not surprised at…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
For Your Possible Enjoyment
Three B and B+ Netflix Mini-Series My tolerance for junk-food movies and TV dramas has ebbed over the years. These days, if it feels junky at the 5- or 10-minute mark, I shut it off. When I see things that are…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
Words of Wisdom on Life, Happiness, and Investing
In this short essay – a letter to his son on his 16th birthday – my partner Porter Stansberry provides some good advice about making important life decisions. Click here.
Read full post -
Worth Considering
The Difference Between Ambition and Entitlement
“Ambition is when you expect yourself to close the gap between what you have and what you want. Entitlement is when you expect others to close the gap between what you have and what you want.” – James Clear
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Why mosquitos seem to bite some people more than other
Quick Bites: Bzzzzz…, Shopping!, Woke Colleges vs. Testing, a Challenging Life, and Some New Crazy Karen Clips Why mosquitos seem to bite some people more than others. I’ve long theorized that everyone gets…
Read full post -
Readers Write
From AD
“Mark, your books have helped me a lot to reorganize my life! I feel like I have a future again that’s custom designed. It’s wonderful!” From PL: “Loved your common sense take on ‘food insecurity’ in the Oct…
Read full post -
Postscript
Can you help with this?
Steve Kirsch, a researcher that’s been studying and reporting on COVID for the last three years, has just completed a study on 15,000 independent observers. Before he publishes his findings, he is asking for…
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
A Crisis You Probably Never Knew Existed!
I came across this in my reading yesterday: Hormel Foods is once again sponsoring what it calls the “10 Under 20 Food Heroes Awards” to honor young people working in the fight against “food insecurity.” What…
Read full post -
News & Views
Did You Write That?
Mustafa Taher Kasubhai, US District Judge nominee for the District of Oregon, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week Over the past several years, I’ve watched dozens of Congressional and Senate…
Read full post -
The Economy & Investing
Alarm. Then Complacency
Addison Wiggin, bestselling author and founder of Agora Financial At 2:20 EST on Wednesday, Oct. 4, every cellphone in America went off. Did you notice? It was a mass message from the Federal Emergency…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
For Investors Only: Current-Day Scams to Watch Out For
Sir Gregor MacGregor Have you heard of Sir Gregor MacGregor, the early 19th century Scottish mercenary and shyster? In this essay, my colleague Garrett Baldwin tells the story of how MacGregor came to Florida…
Read full post -
Worth Considering
The US is courting trouble
“The federal government is 43% larger than it was four years ago, and its reach is expanding mightily. More than a third of the surge in investment spending [since then] can be traced to government subsidies…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Five Stories On Government And Corporate Conflicts
Quick Bites: News from the DC Swamp, Bill Bonner on the War in Ukraine, an FDA Loss in Appeals Court, Surprise House Guests, and a Movie Quiz Rochelle Walensky CDC Director Walensky's husband received $16.9…
Read full post -
Readers Write
From AS re my essay “How to Be a Conservative, Part II” in the Oct. 3 issue
“I laughed when I read the part about the military hierarchy. My second day of basic training, I saw this graffiti on the wall of the latrine: ‘The definition of the army is the uneducated telling the…
Read full post -
Postscript
I look good, right?
I’m in Myrtle Beach this week for a sort of mini high school reunion. It’s an annual event that has been going on for at least 30 years. And it’s always a good time. Gorgeous golf courses, delicious dinners…
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
An Embarrassing Answer to a Simple Question
“I know this is a strange question,” JW wrote, “but how do you like to spend your weekends? I’m sure it has changed as you’ve gone through different seasons of life. But how did you handle weekends during your…
Read full post -
The Economy & Investing
Office Buildings Are Still Half-Empty
More than three years after the COVID Lockdown began and employees began working from home, the sentiment among CEOs about remote working has become increasingly negative. Almost every CEO I know is nudging…
Read full post -
News & Views
The Mysterious Math of Illegal Immigration
An unmarked white bus pulled up to an empty park in New Jersey in the wee hours of the morning. Out came about 50 recently arrived migrants. They had no idea where they were and no place to sleep that night…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
6ixtynin9
6ixtynin9 A six-part series from Thailand, recently released on Netflix Original release date (New York) May 20, 2005 6ixtynin9 is essentially a crime drama, but it’s much more than that. It’s breathless. It’s…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Bernard Arnault Investigated For Money Laundering Scheme
Quick Bites: Bernard Arnault Did What?, Freddie DeBoer on Weaponized Introspection, Millionaires on the Move, Golf & Automatic Weapons, and Another Award for Rancho Santana Bernard Arnault No. I don’t believe…
Read full post -
Readers Write
From MG re my essay in the Oct. 3 issue
“Your essay ‘How to Be a Conservative, Part II’ hit home with me. “My wife and I have been together a very long time by today’s standards. We met at 18 and are now in our late 40s. In the early years of our…
Read full post -
Postscript
Creatures of habit…
This is hilarious even if you don’t know the backstory – which is that the dog’s previous walker always stopped at this pub for a pint. Click here.
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Why I’m a Conservative, Part II
I’ve always admired the way some traditional cultures value the elderly. The older women are depended upon for advice on matters that were traditionally handled by women, including feeding, clothing, and…
Read full post -
News & Views
TED Talks: Ideas Worth… Spreading?
Coleman Hughes giving his TED Talk, “A Case for Color Blindness,” posted July 28 On Saturday, I introduced you to Coleman Hughes, an up-and-coming Black Conservative whose TED Talk, in which he defended “color…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
Inside Comedy: The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades
Inside Comedy: The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades By David Steinberg 352 pages Published July 13, 2021 “Insecurity combined with arrogance is good DNA for a comedian. So…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
George Bernard Shaw's Scathing Shakespeare Critique Resurfaces
Quick Bites: GBS Slams Shakespeare, a Global Market Perspective, DNA Contamination?, Debatable Movie Adaptations, and a Quiz on Legal Terms George Bernard Shaw Shaw on Shakespeare: “Dig Him Up and Throw Stones…
Read full post -
Readers Write
My Sincere Apologies to JP…
“Hey! What’s up?” he writes. “I sent you an email a month ago, hoping to get an answer to my question. Did you lose it? Was it not worthy?” My Response: I’m sorry, JP. I usually get five to six emails from…
Read full post -
Postscript
Old School Humor
George Burns… Click here.
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Why Cowboys and Not Cowmen?
I don’t know why cowboys are called cowboys in America. But it makes sense in the cattle country of Western Nicaragua. There, most of the ranches produce beef. And almost all the cows are free-range. Which is…
Read full post -
News & Views
I’m Feeling Good About the Supreme Court
Can we put aside the ruling on abortion for a moment? (Which I felt was correct from a constitutional point of view, although I’m in favor of mothers having the final say.) I don’t think about the Supreme…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter Directed and co-written by Michael Cimino Starring Robert DeNiro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken Originally released (in LA) Dec. 8, 1978 I hadn’t watched The…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Another inflation storm is coming!
Quick Bites: Inflation… Again!, More Corruption, Advice for Wannabe Writers, Amazon’s Stake in AI, and CNN Unleashes on Joe Biden Another inflation storm is coming! Sean MacIntyre, my partner, the most…
Read full post -
Readers Write
Re the Sept. 26 issue…
From AS: “It’s rare that I agree with any of your political views, but I agree with your thoughts on legalizing hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. The decision to do so is ridiculous! “Not only does it…
Read full post -
Postscript
George Carlin: “The Owners of This Country
George Carlin: “The Owners of This Country” A good clip from JS, who says, “George died 15 years ago (2008), but it is abundantly clear he saw the future.” Click here.
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Why I’m a Conservative, Part I
Bill Maher, who has identified (and been identified) as a typical Hollywood Liberal for most of his career, has, in recent years, felt the need to explain why he sometimes makes fun of Woke ideas and Woke…
Read full post -
News & Views
Conspiracy Update: The Election Fixing Plan Is in Full Swing
I almost can’t believe they’ve made this move so blatantly and so soon. I’m talking about the Biden administration’s recent announcement that it was going to grant “temporary legal status” to hundreds of…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
The Great Taki on the War in Ukraine
“What’s frustrating as hell,” writes Taki in his latest essay, “is the inability, or unwillingness, of Uncle Sam to stop the slaughter.” Click here to read the entire thing.
Read full post -
Worth Listening
An Amazing Conversation
Listen to this conversation between David Pakman of CNN and Dennis Prager of Prager U. Pakman is a Liberal. Prager is a Conservative. They are discussing some of the hottest issues that are separating Liberals…
Read full post