Author Archive: Glenn Reynolds
January 3, 2025
THIS ISN’T EVEN SURPRISING:
A researcher who worked for the UK government tried to whistleblow about the grooming gangs but was sent to diversity training course instead
You cannot make this stuff up. We are beyond parody and satire https://t.co/tqQRDHH3yc pic.twitter.com/29xsc9nuyD
— Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) January 2, 2025
JAMES PETHOKOUKIS: Is AI really a ‘deal with the devil?’ The medieval story of Faust continues to infect how we think about technology. “Johann Wolfgang von Goethe fiddled with his version for decades, but completed it in 1831 just before his death. This Faust is an aging scholar who also makes a deal with Mephistopheles: The devil will serve him on Earth, but if Faust finds a moment of complete satisfaction, his soul belongs to Hell. Faust pursues various ambitious projects and finally finds satisfaction in a project to reclaim land from the sea. He dies, but his constant striving for betterment and final act of working for humanity’s benefit saves his soul, which ascends to Heaven.”
January 2, 2025
COLOR ME UNSURPRISED:
Interesting https://t.co/JwnsXHN1EZ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2025
OPEN THREAD: Make it special.
ANNALS OF CORPORATE TONE DEAFNESS:
A jihadist killed and maimed dozens of innocent Americans in a hate-fueled rampage, and the CEO of Allstate thinks Americans watching the Sugar Bowl need a lecture from him on overcoming “an addiction to divisiveness and negativity?”
Absolutely not!! pic.twitter.com/CuyOYoz1mg
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 2, 2025
THE NEW SPACE RACE: China to debut new Long March and commercial rockets in 2025.
JOHN HINDERAKER: Covidiocy and Cancer. “One of the worst aspects of the covid fiasco of 2020 was the shutting down of ‘nonessential’ or ‘elective’ medical care. Worldwide, many thousands of checkups, routine procedures and so on were foregone, with consequences that will unfold over the coming decades. . . . A million cases of cancer that were not diagnosed in timely fashion, and in many cases remain undiagnosed today.”
“I’D RATHER HAVE A SISTER IN A WHOREHOUSE THAN A BROTHER IN THE FBI:”
Usually the scandal is the FBI had the terrorist on its radar and didn't prevent attack. In this case, scandal is the FBI didn't have the guy who PUBLICLY JOINED ISIS on its radar because it was too busy raiding Mar-a-Lago and going after parents and pro-lifers. https://t.co/4uriamDBR4
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 2, 2025
THIS SEEMS HIGHLY PLAUSIBLE: Common ADHD Drug Could Make Some People Better Drivers.
MARK JUDGE: Captain Kirk Doesn’t Care That I’m Sober.
I THINK THE LAMBORGHINI MIURA WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR OF ITS TIME, BUT A SPOILER DOESN’T MAKE IT PRETTIER: Liberty Walk Lamborghini Miura Is an Extreme Makeover.
CIVIL RIGHTS UPDATE: Another City Learns The Hard Way About Preemption.
SPACE JUNK — BETTER PUT UP MY UMBRELLA: Space debris weighing over 1,000 pounds reportedly crashes into village in Kenya.
I’VE NEVER TRUSTED IT: Passkey technology is elegant, but it’s most definitely not usable security.
THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT A HANGOVER IS TO DRINK LESS: Can probiotic supplements prevent hangovers? That crazy drinking-less approach has always worked for me.
NOW OUT FROM ANDREW WAREHAM: Saturn Rising (The Call of the Sea Book 13).
I read it. It’s good. Inspired me to go back and start rereading Patrick O’Brian.
THOSE “RIGHT WING FEVER DREAMS” TURN OUT TO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE REALITY SURPRISINGLY OFTEN:
The transcript from the Oxford grooming gang trial reads like something out of an insane right-wing fever dream. The worst part is, it was a choice. It didn't have to happen. The immigration policies of the past few decades have invited entirely avoidable horrors into our homes.
— Nate Hochman (@njhochman) January 1, 2025
KURT SCHLICHTER: How did my predictions for 2024 pan out? “I was doing pretty well until I got here: ‘Joe Biden is not going to be replaced, and he will be on the ballot in November. I’m not sure if he’ll know it, though. Man, picking Kamala Harris was the greatest insurance policy anybody ever took out.’ I further opined that ‘the Democrats will win in November.’ In my defense, I said that hoping ‘my track record of being wrong about my predictions holds up.’ It held up, thankfully.”
Plus his predictions for 2025.
IN A CIVILIZED COUNTRY, THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES WOULD HAVE BEEN DRAGGED FROM THEIR BEDS OR OFFICES, WHIPPED THROUGH THE STREETS, AND HANGED FROM LAMPPOSTS. BRITAIN USED TO BE A CIVILIZED COUNTRY.
"We spoke to Jess Phillips. She said she didn't care about us."
"We spoke to Starmer. He said he didn't care about us."
"We spoke to the Tories. They refused to name our predators."
"We spoke to the media. They fell silent."
"Now we speak to you, the people. Please help us." pic.twitter.com/v9pDTh84xI
— Joseph Robertson (@nero_returns) January 2, 2025
Britain’s grooming gangs scandal is attracting attention. It’s happened before, but now it seems different.
I’ve dedicated most of my career in journalism to covering it. Because it’s the most appalling atrocity in modern British history.
In this thread, I’ll tell you what I… pic.twitter.com/uGbmkv9JFg
— Charlie Peters (@CDP1882) January 1, 2025
THERE IS NO CARBON CRISIS.
US per-capita CO₂ emissions have fallen below WWI levels https://t.co/vhdVSbOAnR pic.twitter.com/oFijBDeF5k
— Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp) December 30, 2024
HIGHER EDUCATION: Five predictions for higher education in 2025.