At the Biblioteca Joanina‚ the bats are taking care of the books. Click to read the full fact. The post WTF Fun Fact 13687 – The Bats of the Biblioteca Joanina appeared first on WTF Fun Facts.

There are infinite possibilities in chess. Click to read the full fact. The post WTF Fun Fact 13688 – Chess’ Infinite Possibilities appeared first on WTF Fun Facts.

The following article‚ Why Are Billionaires Selling Off Stocks And Building Massive Survival Bunkers?‚ was first published on Conservative Firing Line. If you want to determine what people believe‚ don’t listen to what they say.  Rather‚ closely watch what they actually do.  In recent days‚ the stock market has been hovering near all-time record highs and business leaders have been assuring us that good days are ahead.  But meanwhile many of our most famous billionaires have … Continue reading Why Are Billionaires Selling Off Stocks And Building Massive Survival Bunkers? ...

“The inspiration for the music came from meeting Jimi Hendrix..." The post Jack Bruce’s favourite Cream song first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

America is celebrated for its economic dynamism and ample and generously paid employment opportunities. It’s a nation that attracts immigrants from around the world. Yet Americans are bummed and have been for a while. They believe that life was better 40 years ago. And maybe it was on some fronts‚ but not economically. READ MORE from Veronique de Rugy: Child Tax Credit Expansion Not the Best Way to Help Families Surveys repeatedly demonstrate that Americans view today’s economy in a negative light. Seventy-six percent believe the country is going in the wrong direction. Some polls even show that young people believe they’ll be denied the American dream. Now‚ that might turn out to be true if Congress continues spending like a drunken sailor. But it certainly isn’t true based on a look back in time. By nearly all economic measures‚ we’re doing much better today than we were in the 1970s and 1980s — a time most nostalgic people revere as a great era. In a recent article‚ economist Jeremy Horpedahl looked at generational wealth (all assets minus all debt) and how today’s young people are faring compared to previous generations. His findings are surprising. After all the talk about how millennials are the poorest or unluckiest generation yet‚ Horpedahl’s data show them with dramatically more wealth than Gen Xers had at the same age. And this wealth continues to grow. What about income? A new paper by the American Enterprise Institute’s Kevin Corinth and Federal Reserve Board’s Jeff Larrimore looks at income levels by generation in a variety of ways. They find that each of the past four generations had higher inflation-adjusted incomes than did the previous generation. Further‚ they find that this trend doesn’t seem to be driven by women entering the workforce. That last part matters because if you listen to progressives and New Right conservatives‚ you might get a different story: that today’s higher incomes are only due to the fact that both parents must now work in order for a family to afford a middle-class lifestyle. They claim that supporting a family of four on one income‚ like many people did back in the ’70s and ’80s‚ is now impossible. Believing this claim understandably bums people out. But it’s not true. One of its many problems‚ in addition to the data evidence provided by Corinth and Larrimore‚ is that it mistakenly implies that single-income households were the norm. In fact‚ as early as 1978‚ 50 percent of married couples were dual earners and just 25.6 percent relied only on a husband’s income. I also assume that there are more dual-income earners now than there were in the ’80s. While this may in fact be true for married couples (61 percent of married parents are now dual-earners)‚ because marriage itself has declined‚ single-earner families have become relatively more common. Maybe the overall morosity on the economy has to do with the perception that it’s more expensive to raise a family these days than it used to be. Another report by Angela Rachidi looks at whether the decline in marriage and fertility and the increase in out-of-wedlock childbirths are the result of economic hardship. She finds that contrary to the prevailing narrative‚ “household and family-level income show growth in recent decades after accounting for taxes and transfers.” Not only that‚ but “the costs of raising a family — including housing‚ childcare‚ and higher education costs — have not grown so substantially over the past several decades that they indicate an affordability crisis.” So‚ what exactly is bumming people out? We may find an answer in the 1984 Ronald Reagan campaign ad commonly known as “Morning in America.” It begins with serene images of an idyllic American landscape waking up to a new day. It features visuals of people going to work‚ flags waving in front of homes‚ and ordinary families in peaceful settings. The narrator speaks over these images‚ detailing improvements in the American condition over the past four years‚ including job creation‚ economic growth‚ and national pride. I believe this feeling is what people are nostalgic about. It seems that they are nostalgic about a time when America was more united and it was clearer what being American meant. Never mind that this nostalgia is often based on an incomplete and idealized memory of an era that‚ like ours‚ was not perfect. This is a serious challenge that we need to figure out how to address. One thing that won’t help‚ though‚ is to erroneously claim that people were economically better off back then and call on government to fix an imaginary problem. Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. To find out more about Veronique de Rugy and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists‚ visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM. The post Nostalgia Versus Numbers: Challenging America’s Economic Pessimism appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

This week marked the launch of a new effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. As it follows a much-hyped and yet totally unsuccessful recall effort in 2021 that saw Newsom avoid an ousting by a 24-percentage-point margin‚ it seems likely that this second effort too will be unsuccessful. Still‚ the past year has seen Newsom’s approval rating fall to its lowest level on record — lower even than that following the French Laundry scandal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many commentators have attributed that rising discontent to Newsom’s all-encompassing focus on raising his profile nationally even as the entire state of California experiences crisis after crisis. That discontent could theoretically provide fuel to a recall effort. READ MORE from Ellie Gardey: The Problem for Newsom’s Aspirations: California’s Impending $73 Billion Fiscal Disaster After Newsom’s approval rating fell to its lowest level on record in November 2023‚ registering at 44 percent support in a poll conducted by the University of California‚ Berkeley‚ the director of that poll‚ Mark DiCamillo‚ pointed to Newsom’s efforts to position himself on the national stage as the reason for the decline. “He’s kind of taking on a new persona‚” DiCamillo told the Los Angeles Times. “He’s no longer just the governor of California. He’s a spokesperson for the national party and basically voters are being asked to react to that.” Newsom’s decision to prioritize himself over his state has drawn criticism even from liberal media outlets. For example‚ last year the Atlantic published an article headlined “Gavin Newsom Is Not Governing” that asserted‚ “Leading California is more than a full-time job—and neglecting it to do PR stunts in red states is frivolous and irresponsible.” The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board also spoke up last year to say‚ “Newsom needs to get back to work in California — and focus on nitty-gritty policy details as much as flashy headlines.” That editorial was headlined “California Needs You at Home‚ Gov. Newsom.” The recall effort is now utilizing this same line of critique to go after Newsom. “It’s not a good time for him to check out‚” said Anne Dunsmore‚ one of the leaders of the recall effort‚ of Newsom’s focus on national action. “But if he’s going to check out‚ we’ll kick him out‚” she concluded. She further told CalMatters that she hopes the recall effort will encourage Newsom to get off the campaign trail for President Joe Biden and get back to governing in California. Dunsmore cited as additional reasons for Newsom’s ouster California’s $73 billion budget shortage‚ the extension of health insurance coverage to illegal immigrants‚ the state’s homelessness crisis‚ and the exodus from the state. Californians were reminded of the continual decline of their state Wednesday when Macy’s announced that it will shutter its iconic 400‚000-square-foot San Francisco location. The San Francisco Chronicle described the closure as a “devastating blow” and “one of the biggest retail closures the city has ever seen.” The Macy’s closure follows the closure of two Nordstrom stores in downtown San Francisco last year; both locations could simply no longer turn a solid profit given the rampant shoplifting that plagued them and the roving homeless population that circled them. The situation at the Macy’s location has gotten so bad that San Francisco’s police department has been forced to have officers stand in rows outside of the store’s entrances as a deterrence. (WATCH: The Spectator P.M. Podcast Ep. 26: The Coming California Budgeting Disaster Will Hurt Newsom) Even with California’s evident decline‚ it is a tall order to oust a Democratic star in a state where nearly twice as many voters are registered Democrats (46.9 percent of voters) as are registered Republicans (23.8 percent of voters). Yet recall organizers do have a possible path to get on the ballot‚ as California’s large population means that there are more than 5 million registered Republicans (1.3 million signatures are necessary to get the recall question on the ballot). Last time‚ the recall effort only made it onto the ballot because it was given an extension due to COVID-19. However‚ organizers say that effort provided plentiful experience that will make this signature-gathering effort more efficient. Dunsmore‚ who leads Rescue California‚ which was also instrumental in the 2021 recall‚ is trying to pin the blame for the recall’s failure on Larry Elder‚ who was the top vote-getter among the options to replace Newsom. Dunsmore told CalMatters that the recall would go very differently with a better candidate. “The job now‚” she said‚ “is to find someone who’s qualified.” Even if the recall is unable to get onto the ballot‚ the prospect of it will cast a shadow over Newsom as he seeks to campaign for Biden and waits in the wings in the case that the president drops out prior to the Democratic National Convention in August. It will serve as a constant reminder of the discontent in California over the state’s budget shortfall‚ homelessness crisis‚ crime crisis‚ and population loss. Dunsmore acknowledged this to Politico‚ saying that “blowing up” Newsom’s national efforts was an “added benefit” of the recall effort. At the same time‚ the fact that the recall effort lost so badly in 2021 will significantly diminish another recall’s efficacy in projecting the idea of opposition to Newsom. The post Should Gavin Newsom Be Worried About the New Recall Effort? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

I have been waiting for a very long time to write this column‚ and yet I can’t quite summon up the joy and relief I thought I’d get out of it. We’re speaking‚ of course‚ about the long-awaited denouement of Mitch McConnell‚ the current Senate minority leader and longtime head of the GOP’s caucus in that body for 17 long‚ brutal‚ underachieving years. As Breitbart reports: Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will step down from his leadership position later this year‚ he announced Wednesday on the Senate floor‚ saying “Father Time remains undefeated” and “it’s time for the next generation of leadership.” McConnell‚ already the longest serving Senate party leader in history‚ will step down at the end of this Congress in early January 2025. “I turned 82 last week‚” a noticeably exhausted McConnell told the Senate Chamber. “The end of my contributions are closer than I prefer.” McConnell reminisced “with deep appreciation” about the days after his 1985 arrival in the Senate (although he said 1984 in his speech)‚ acknowledging those years “helped shape (his) view of the world” while acknowledging he is now out of place. The Senate veteran said he remains “unconflicted about the good within our country‚ and the irreplaceable role we play as the leader of the free world. It’s why I worked so hard to get the national security package passed earlier this month.” If you’ve been a regular reader of this column‚ you’re aware of two nicknames I’ve given to McConnell and the brand of “leadership” predominating in the Senate caucus he’s controlled since 2007. READ MORE from Scott McKay: Thanks to Politico‚ We’re a Christian Nationalist America Again I call him “Morphine Mitch‚” which isn’t so much a takeoff on as a correction of the “Cocaine Mitch” nickname he earned when a ship owned by his family was found by authorities to have been carrying a load of Bolivian marching powder a few years back. “Cocaine Mitch” might have some validity‚ but in truth it’s far from accurate. With cocaine‚ people are energized‚ or at least that’s what I understand. And nobody has ever been energized by Mitch McConnell. On the other hand‚ morphine is given when doctors want to kill your pain as you lie wounded and/or dying‚ and that is precisely the function Mitch McConnell has performed in the Republican Party. He’s done everything he can do to stamp out dynamism‚ verve‚ innovation‚ fighting spirit‚ and even real connection with Republican voters from the Senate‚ and it’s telling that the few members of the body who do show those things — Ted Cruz‚ Rand Paul‚ Mike Lee‚ Ron Johnson‚ J.D. Vance‚ Rick Scott‚ Josh Hawley‚ and a number of others — are all opponents of McConnell within that caucus. Go ahead. Find somebody who lines up with McConnell who isn’t a stiff like John Cornyn or James Lankford or Bill Cassidy. I’m happy to listen. Exactly‚ right? Nobody. The three names initially bandied about as McConnell’s replacements are very much of the same odor as he emits: Cornyn‚ John Barrasso‚ and John Thune. Call them the Morphine Johns if you want — they’re the same corporatist Establishment stooges he is‚ though one can always hope that an unproven corporatist Establishment stooge might do less damage than would a master-level corporatist Establishment stooge. But in speaking about McConnell and his disciples‚ chronic readers of this column will remember another of my labels: the Washington Generals. It’s something of an obscure reference‚ I’ll admit. You have to know your Harlem Globetrotters lore to fully appreciate it. But here’s a quick video tutorial: And this is a very‚ very appropriate name for the game Morphine Mitch and his crew have played over the past 17 years. The Generals are not just a bad team; they’re intentionally bad. They throw game after game‚ which would be a colossal betrayal of their fans if they had any. Meanwhile‚ the Globetrotters — and I am every bit as pained as you are in envisioning Chuck Schumer as Meadowlark Lemon or Curly Neal — break all the rules with alacrity‚ win in every way possible‚ and always put on a show for the folks in doing so. It’s a lot more fun to root for the Globetrotters than it is for the team full of stiffs on the other bench. But that’s not the only reason Republicans have underachieved in every Senate election cycle since McConnell became the leader of that caucus. Oh‚ no. It’s a lot worse than that. No‚ McConnell has actively sabotaged conservatives who have run for the Senate. It started all the way back in 2010 when he did it to Joe Miller‚ a Tea Party conservative who by all rights ought to be in his third term representing the people of Alaska‚ and it’s been a mostly unbroken string since. And in 2022‚ McConnell pulled out every stop he could to ensure that Republicans didn’t capture a Senate majority — especially screwing over Don Bolduc‚ Blake Masters‚ Adam Laxalt‚ and Mehmet Oz‚ not to mention the GOP nominee Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska‚ who ended up losing to swamp rat Lisa Murkowski thanks to McConnell’s well-documented machinations there. I’m also not the only one suspicious of McConnell stooge Lindsey Graham acting on his behalf when‚ in the wake of the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court‚ which wiped away Roe v. Wade and gave the abortion issue back to the states to decide‚ the latter brought a federal 15-week abortion ban bill. When Graham did that it was very‚ very clear what the effect would be — it destroyed the argument the pro-life movement and the conservative movement at large had been making from the very beginning‚ which was that abortion was an issue to be decided in the states. Bringing that bill was a grievous wound for blue- or purple-state Republicans like Bolduc‚ Masters‚ Herschel Walker‚ Oz‚ and others. It solidified abortion as the big driver of Democrat votes in that cycle‚ something the conservatives were not well-suited to counter. Anyone could have told Graham — and McConnell — that bringing that bill was a terrible idea in 2022. It had no chance to pass‚ so there was nothing but downside. That’s the kind of move you have to make when your aim is to insure the Globetrotters win. Everybody has a bad day on the court at some point‚ yet Harlem never loses. And neither‚ seemingly‚ do Schumer and the Democrats. The Senate never cuts the federal budget. It never defunds‚ say‚ Planned Parenthood. It couldn’t unwind Obamacare. It can’t control the border. I could go on all night naming things the majority of Americans want but McConnell has never produced. But he sure can rally the troops to fire off billions of dollars to keep the Ukraine war going. McConnell is terrific at counting votes‚ mind you. It isn’t that he’s incompetent. It’s that it’s far more important for Mitch McConnell to have a majority within the Senate GOP caucus than it is for the caucus to have a majority in the Senate. And should Republicans ever stop underachieving in those Senate races‚ they’d be sitting on 55 to 60 seats. Which would be pretty good for Republican voters. But not so good for Morphine Mitch. Because if you had the kind of wave election that disgust with the Obama Democrat mob is bound to crystallize into at some point‚ the six or eight new Republican senators the wave would produce are wholly unlikely to be Mitch McConnell stooges. Republican voters generally cannot stand the Washington Generals; more often than not‚ it takes millions and millions of dollars coming down from D.C. political action committees‚ often connected to McConnell‚ to prop up the establishment stooges in GOP primaries‚ and even that doesn’t often work. And that fact produces the sabotage and starvation of a Don Bolduc or Blake Masters. Because McConnell would rather see Democrats elected than more Josh Hawleys or Ted Cruzes who ask rude questions at caucus meetings. But now he’s leaving‚ owing to advanced decrepitude and the discredit that he’s suffering over his demand for Ukraine funding without substantial steps to control the southern border. All I can say is: It’s about damn time. Years and years too late‚ in fact. But if we’re going to replace McConnell with one of his mini-Mitches — those Morphine Johns whose names are being thrown around — rather than someone newer‚ younger‚ fresher‚ and smarter‚ then there’s not much celebration due at his exit. What America needs isn’t just a new GOP Senate leader. It needs new GOP Senate leadership. We need to send the Boston Celtics out to take on the Globetrotters‚ not the stupid Washington Generals. The post Goodbye and Good Riddance‚ Morphine Mitch appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.