Newmark's Door

"Republican Obsession with 'Big Tech' Hands the Dems a Antitrust Club"

I agree with this. If any group is unhappy with Google, Facebook, Twitter, or Amazon, work toward producing a superior alternative. Going after them with antitrust will open an enormous can of worms.

The common thread with all of these bills – at both the federal and state level – is that the best interest of consumers is not the focus. Politicians are seeking political retribution against companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, and Google. . . . 

Once again, this is the logical conclusion when the party that is ostensibly “pro-business” begins to beat the antitrust drum. The Overton window of allowable opinion on the issue shifts dramatically to the left. Once there, the political left can do what it has far more experience doing, over-regulating.

Related: "The Dangers of Conservative ‘Antitrust Revival’" and "Trustbusters Should Be Careful What They Wish For".

"The Pappy Pricing Puzzle"

The pricing of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon is a bit of a mystery. (I note that there is a similar puzzle about the pricing of new Nike athletic shoes. There is a huge secondary market for these, usually at prices above Nike's but for shoes that are actually available while Nike is "sold out".)

"The tide is turning against the woke-liberal blob that misrules us"

Glenn Reynolds:

Meanwhile, at famed Thomas Jefferson High in Fairfax County, Va., a slate of parents opposed to critical race theory won election to the board. One of those candidates, Harry Jackson, the first black man elected to the board, denounced how CRT is “teaching that white people are inherently racist.” Yes. 

Fight the power. It’s easier than you think.

And Prof. Reynolds could have added some other indications of strong pushback:

John McWhorter: "You Are Not a Racist to Criticize Critical Race Theory".

"Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie launches a blistering attack on 'entitled' woke social media users 'choking on sanctimony and terrified of having the wrong opinions' amid row with nonbinary transgender novelist".

"Watch this parent absolutely obliterate Critical Race Theory at an Illinois school board meeting".

Related: "Is the Right Winning on Critical Race Theory?" and "Parents seeing through educrats’ lies about critical race theory can ‘fight the power’ and win".

"The 'Replication Crisis' Could Be Worse Than We Thought, New Analysis Reveals"

". . .  new research reveals that studies with replicated results tend to be cited less often than studies which have failed to replicate."

"The coming productivity boom"

By Erik Brynjolfsson and George Petropoulosarchive.

AI and other digital technologies have been surprisingly slow to improve economic growth. But that could be about to change.

"1776 and All That: A Short Guide to the History of Economic Thought"

Short and entertaining. (By Simon Frazier U. professor Douglas W. Allen.)

"Lionel Messi vs Physics"

"He knows the laws of physics but they don't know him." A fine 8.5 minute video of the great Leo doing his thing.

See also "When Defenders Can't Believe What Messi Did To Them" and "5 legendary defenders explain why it’s IMPOSSIBLE to stop Lionel Messi".

"I just want to see the menu, man"

Me, too! Me, too.

"America Loves Gas Station Snacks. Here Are Some of the Finest by Region"

The Carolinas are represented by boiled peanuts and Dodge's fried chicken.

"Where is that noise coming from?"

It's always the last place you look. (Maybe helpful for electric guitar players.)

"Wild Horses"

Covered by Grace Potter and the glorious Rachael Price.

"Thunder"

Billy Strings. Bluegrass, baby.

"Rock Me When He's Gone"

Off the Madman Man Across the Water album--now 50 years old--Elton John.

"1000 Musicians Play Rock Songs From Nirvana, Queen, etc."

"Rebel, Rebel" and "Seven Nation Army" are pretty good.

"Christina Hoff Sommers DESTROYS 'male privilege'"

Four-minute video.

"Man decides to cover Linkin Park, Madonna, Green Day as Eric Cartman"

This interested me because I like Cartman--"Respect my authoritae!"--a lot.

I think his version of "Dust in the Wind" is good.

"Here Come the Electric Rednecks"

If the electric F150 delivers on its promises, I think it will be a winner. (Not for me, mind, but then I don't build things or haul stuff.)

"That's what you call good chat! Singletons share the VERY creative pick up lines that have won them over when using dating apps"

"Using a cheesy chat up line is the oldest trick in the book when it comes to dating, and is probably not going to impress anyone.

"As such, singletons are now having to be more creative with their pick up lines as they try to secure the attention of their matches on dating apps."

"This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Infrastructure"

Call me crazy but it would be really nice if there were a bipartisan effort to try to fix this. (6-minute video.)

"In the first place, God created idiots . . ."

"That was just for practice. Then he created school boards." This piece applies Mark Twain's savage comment to recent developments in northern Virginia.

"Surprise FDA Alzheimer’s Drug Approval May Have Disastrous Repercussions"

Michael Fumento thinks the FDA's recent approval of Biogen's drug is a big mistake and could well be yet another instance of regulatory capture.

"FDA Approves 'Game Changer' Weight Loss Drug, Likely First in a New Era of Obesity Treatment"

Here's hoping--after so many false starts--it really works out.

"You Can Have My Mask When You Pry It off My Cold, Dead Face"

By Kyle Smith. Made me laugh out loud.

Masking up every day when I get out of bed fills me with a sense of calm, wellness, and moral superiority. Frankly, I’m not ready for a future in which I just go around the community without a visible display of my self-righteousness. I suppose I could get a Queen Kamala tattoo on my face or something, but that seems impractical. (What will I do when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is president, haha.)

Merkel at the G7

Made me and my wife laugh out loud.

(Hint for those who don't get it: it's a Star Trek reference.)

"How to be a dean"

Savage and maybe a bit too close to the truth for comfort.

"Your father’s stock market is never coming back"

I don't know about "never" but I do think today's stock market is a heck of a lot different than my father's.

"Elon Musk Cancels Tunnels Projects!"

The inimitable Thunderf00t destroys--yet again--Elon's hellacious overpromising. (26-minute video.)