SEDUCTIVE AI: The personhood trap: How AI fakes human personality. AI assistants don’t have fixed personalities—just patterns of output guided by humans.

JOHN HINDERAKER: “Why has our government been so slow to recognize, and to try to counteract, the multifaceted threat posed by China?”

Because they’re on the payroll?

NEWS YOU CAN USE: How to sail across the Indian Ocean: Everything you need to know.

CUTTING EDGE MODERN TREATMENTS: Cupping, leeching and other ancient healing methods welcomed in Turkish hospitals.

RISE OF THE MACHINES: AI adoption linked to 13% decline in jobs for young U.S. workers, Stanford study reveals.

HE’S RIGHT, YOU KNOW:

There is no bigger swamp than the non-profits … https://t.co/uUKM9nMY8Y

— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) September 1, 2025

ICYMI: MY LATEST SUBSTACK ESSAY IS ON GETTING OLD: Report From The Other Side.

As always, if you like these essays, please take out a paid subscription. I appreciate it!

ANARCHOTYRANNY:

In Britain, it's illegal for women to carry pepper spray to defend themselves from r*pists.

But police just used pepper spray yesterday on women that were protesting after children were s*xually assaulted by as*lum seekers.

— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) September 1, 2025

Related:

It's actually insane that this is still happening. https://t.co/E2dCdWlir0

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) September 2, 2025

LET HIM STARVE: UC Berkeley lecturer on ‘starvation diet’ in ‘solidarity with Palestine.’

OF COURSE: Teachers union bankrolls Newsom’s redistricting push ahead of 2025 vote: Critics argue that the contribution suggests the measure is designed to protect Democrats, not voters.

CONCISELY STATED:

Bad people gravitate towards Palestine because it allows them to express their sociopathy while pretending that they’re fighting for justice. https://t.co/gOkomGQ2Dw

— Max 📟 (@MaxNordau) September 2, 2025

CIVIL RIGHTS UPDATE: Delaware Superior Court Strikes Down Gun Ban Aimed at 18-21 year olds. “Article I, Section 20 of the Delaware Constitution enshrined the right of citizens to “keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreational use.” At a minimum, some provisions of HB 451 infringe on the right of a subsection of adults, aged eighteen to twenty, to exercise their right to ‘defense of self, family, home and State.’ Accordingly, those provisions violate the Delaware Constitution and are unenforceable.”

THE ENEMY WITHIN:

🚨 PYM’s Aisha: How to Disrupt the F-35 Program

This may be the most alarming thing to come out of the People’s Conference for Palestine because it is a step-by-step playbook that America’s enemies could benefit from.

Aisha, a leader with the Palestinian Youth Movement,… pic.twitter.com/wl2pPMA9ar

— Stu (@thestustustudio) September 1, 2025

LEGAL EDUCATION UPDATE: LSU Law School Moves On From Dean Alena Allen After Only 3 Years; She Alleges Discrimination And Retaliation For Raising Concerns About Financial Irregularities.

OH, HE’S NOT THAT SMART. OR THAT HONEST: David French as Emily Litella.

More here.

FAMILY HISTORY:

One of my ancestors, the first 'John Ringo', was a slave for five years. He was a sailor on a ship out of New Amsterdam (now NYC) who was captured by Moors. His family could not come up with the ransom so he was kept as a slave working a small boat.

Five years later he and… https://t.co/XRoBUARbQX

— John Ringo SF Author (@Jringo1508) September 1, 2025

MARK JUDGE: ‘Night People’: The Great Anti-Communist Movies Of the 1950s.

#JOURNALISM:

Note: DC's Mayor says carjackings are down 87%. She doesn't like the takeover, but is willing to confront reality. Maybe @TheAtlantic should hire her. https://t.co/rIgOCg3Ec5

— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey) August 31, 2025

OPEN THREAD: Ring out the long weekend.

SPACE: Power play: why NASA is betting on nuclear to outpace rivals on the Moon.

POOR BRITAIN: The Rise of Vexillophobia: Fear of the Flag Is This Nation’s Greatest Malady.

TRUMP’S TARIFFS ARE GOING TO BACKFIRE, YOU GUYS:

BREAKING: Ontario banned U.S. alcohol sales in April. Today Canadian Crown Royal bottler announced it's shutting down its Ontario plant and moving operations to the U.S. pic.twitter.com/ixz5UeCEkJ

— Financelot (@FinanceLancelot) August 28, 2025

ARE BIOETHICISTS BEHIND IT? A red meat allergy from tick bites is spreading – and the lone star tick isn’t the only alpha-gal carrier to worry about.

CHANGE: New Jersey Town Drops Plan to Condemn a Church to Build a Park and Pickleball Courts: The mayor abandoned the plan after it aroused strong political resistance and threats of litigation. Pushback works.

CHANGE: Car Safety’s Getting an Upgrade—Here’s What’s Coming by 2029.. “Via FMVSS No. 127, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mandates new vehicles be capable of detecting other vehicles, objects, and pedestrians and then providing automatic emergency braking to either prevent hitting them or greatly reduce the damage or injury if avoidance is impossible. These features must be phased in on all new light vehicles by September 1, 2029.”