The distinguished historian says the U.S. isn’t like other nations and never has been. There is no U.S. ethnicity to back up the state.

Why did Grok say he’s better than Jesus?

Can the federal government maintain essential services with a significantly reduced workforce?

DM How do you define miasma? A miasma is a historical term for a noxious atmosphere or vapor believed to cause disease. The "miasma theory" dominated medical thinking from ancient times through the mid-19th century, holding that illnesses like cholera, plague, and malaria arose from foul-smelling air emanating from rotting organic matter, swamps, or other sources of "bad air." The word comes from Greek, meaning "pollution" or "defilement." You can see its influence in the na

The concentration of wealth among the richest Americans is unlike anything in history — and so is billionaires’ influence in politics. Related prior post on this topic Related post today

The White House is giving Putin permission to try again. Related Also related

In a revision that has left medical experts stunned, the health agency’s website plays into anti-vaccine rhetoric with a 'quirk of logic' Related Also related

There’s a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that’s as consistent as pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make us roll our eyes. No matter how we feel about them, we rarely pause to consider how these stories shape who we are and how we view the world. This week, we revisit a favorite 2024 conversation about family storytelling with psychologist Robyn Fivush. Then, in a new installment o

Government-spec’d glory projects produce tech demos. Enduring progress demands a better way forward. Counterpoints KEY TAKEAWAYS OF FIRST LINK ABOVE: In this op-ed, Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, argues that government-led “glory projects” ultimately hurt the aerospace industry they were meant to advance. He writes that both the Apollo and Concorde programs chased prestige over practicality, producing technological marvels with no sustainable path forward. Scholl belie

At the foundation of America’s progress movement are immigrants who still believe this country can build. KEY TAKEAWAYS In October, the Roots of Progress Institute organized Progress Conference 2025 to connect people and ideas in the progress movement. In this dispatch from the conference, writer and RPI fellow Afra Wang explores how immigrant founders are driving America’s new era of “physical dynamism.” She finds that America’s capacity to build — and to believe in building

Hated by some in the U.S., the warplane has tilted the balance in the Middle East Quick Summary Israel’s military advantage, largely due to its F-35 fleet, is threatened by a potential US sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials fear F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia could lead to sales to other nations like Turkey, eroding Israel’s air superiority. Israel acquired 25 more F-35s in June 2024, bringing its total to 75, and seeks advanced US technology to maintain its military

The NIH is picking up Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s argument that a healthy immune system can keep even pandemic germs at bay. Related

What happens when even college students can’t do math anymore?

When we routinely default to an attitude of mistrust, they create a negative loop that undermines relationships and hinders change.

Beijing’s strategy, known as ‘the pen and the gun,’ employs a domestic media campaign and aggressive rhetoric toward Taipei’s friends Quick Summary China is intensifying its “pen and gun” strategy against Taiwan, using state media to shape domestic opinion while lashing out at Taiwan’s supporters. Beijing is targeting Taiwan’s supporters, notably Japan, through diplomatic threats and military posturing near disputed territories and Taiwan. China aims to coerce Taiwan into cap

Ken Burns new series provides our history, as only he can And Walter Issacson on the greatest sentence ever written

These expert-recommended books reveal how big ideas can shape — and sometimes redefine — human progress.

The danger of stablecoins lies in the ways they are meant to be safe.

DM Please offer your perspectives on these excerpts from Joe Manchin's recently published autobiography, "Dead Center:" Here's the first excerpt for your consideration: "Throughout our nation’s history, extreme party politics have repeatedly threatened to destroy the United States, even though the existence of political parties was deliberately omitted from our Constitution. President George Washington grew so disillusioned with the squabbling of his era that he declined to r

Amazon informed staffers via a text-email combo. Target asked workers to stay home. Does any of that make job cuts less painful? Quick Summary Employers are changing layoff tactics with an aim of minimizing ugly public scenes. Some companies are using remote notifications, such as texts. There are managers who have been cut out of the loop on staff reductions, unable to explain dismissals to teams.