HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: What Happens if We Hold College and Nobody Comes? “There has been a precipitous decline in enrollments across the country as universities worry about covering their costs without raising already high tuition rates. From 2010 to 2021, enrollments fell from roughly 18.1 million students to about 15.4 million. There are various contributors to the drop from falling birthrates to poor economic times. However, there is also an increasing view of higher education as an academic echo chamber for far left agendas. For many, there is little appeal in going to campuses where you are expected to self-censor and professors reject your values as part of their lesson plans.”

To be fair, how could they have known this was coming?

MAY IT BE THE FIRST OF MANY SUCH: ‘A Mess’: CNN’s Scott Jennings Sums Up the Terrible Day That Kamala Harris Just Had.

OH, I DON’T: Don’t buy Kamala Harris’s blue-collar rhetoric.

I ASSUME THAT PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING OUT OF THE DOJ TODAY IS POLITICAL: The selective prosecution of Eric Adams: When the Biden-Harris Admin tells DOJ to “investigate,” the feds interpret the order as a mandate to bring charges. “At first glance, the indictment may leave citizens a bit confused about the alleged criminal activity that the feds claim Adams engaged in.”

Why is the Biden-Harris Administration persecuting a strong black man?

KAMALA HARRIS and the Illegal Lawyer.

A WEBCAM VIEW FROM THE GULFPORT, FLORIDA CASINO, located near St. Petersburg. Not that close to the impact point of Helene, but an impressive storm surge.

And here’s one from Downtown Gulfport.

UPDATE: Okay, I’m not sure if I killed those or the storm did, but here’s one from Appalachicola, closer to where the storm will strike.

MORE: Okay, now that one’s dead. It’s like Heisenberg, I can see them or I can link them, but not both, apparently.

OPEN THREAD: Do your best work.

THE NEW SPACE RACE: China to launch near-Earth asteroid sample return mission in 2025.

HITTING HARD:

“Kamala is for they/them, Trump is for you.”

SHOCKER: THEY BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE. Pandemics Seem to Have Made a Comeback. Why Is This Happening?

STILL A FEW BUGS IN THE SYSTEM: China’s newest nuclear-powered submarine sank earlier this year, US officials say.

THAT WAS WHEN IT WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK CRITICALLY OF KAMALA, BEFORE THE PARTY DECREED CHANGE: Holy Holistic Horse Patooties II: ‘Daily Show’ Called It — in May.

Note well how the Daily Show anticipated Harris’ use of “holistic” as a rhetorical crutch. Also. listen to the laughter of the live audience in the background. In mid-May, everyone was in on the joke — everyone. “Speaking without thinking” was so much of a hallmark of Kamala Harris’ persona that even Left-leaning comedians targeted it, and to great comic effect.

In May. When Harris was the running mate, not the nominee. And even more specifically, Comedy Central produced and aired this skit when Harris was a running mate that had Democrats and progressives arguing whether Joe Biden should dump her from the ticket, rather than the other way around.

In May, when everyone knew why the White House had kept Harris from media engagement for almost three years.

After the presidential debate on June 27, and especially after Biden’s withdrawal on July 21, the narratives all abruptly changed. No longer did Harris demonstrate “speaking without thinking” — the media narrative changed to “Joy!” It’s almost as if Dahlia Rose Hibiscus sent out an urgent telegram to the Journolist demanding a new “holistic” appreciation for word salads. And that narrative leads directly to Ruhle’s declaration on another comedy show, Bill Maher’s Real Time, that Harris’ inability to answer questions should be no impediment to voters in this election cycle.

And ever since July 21, the media has walked in lockstep to enforce the Narrative of Joy, and to scold anyone who thinks that Harris is anything less than an inscrutable genius.

Yep.

Related: Janet Jackson did not apologize for saying that Kamala Harris is not black. “Elmasri’s statement to the Daily Beast comes after Jackson’s official rep issued a statement to the media Sunday, saying that the ‘apology’ made on behalf of Jackson from ‘manager’ Elmasri was not authorized by her at all. In fact, this Jackson rep told People magazine and other outlets that Elmasri is not her manager, nor is he affiliated with her camp. The rep said that Randy Jackson is the singer’s manager.”

AN EARTH-SHATTERING KABOOM: Scientists Finally Uncover the True Origins of the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid.

WHAT LOSS OF TRUST DOES: Survey: Most Americans won’t get new flu, COVID-19 vaccines. “Interest in vaccination is even lower this season than last.”

THE ONES ON MY SUV ARE HOLDING UP WELL. THEY’RE ALL-TERRAIN OFF-ROAD-CAPABLE. The ones on my last SUV were garbage “eco tires” that would go flat from a harsh look. And you could only swap them out for more of the same. How Long Do Tires Last?

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Round Up: Modern Pocket Guns.

HMM: Research reveals reality of Ice Age teen puberty.

FREE MARS: Study shows Mars’ early thick atmosphere could be locked up in the planet’s clay surface.

AS PROMISED, AT LONG LAST: My latest Substack essay on criminalizing science fraud.

HMM: Psychedelic experience improves therapists’ ability to deliver ketamine therapy, suggests study. Maybe, but I’m skeptical of all this sudden enthusiasm for psychedelics. The people I’ve known who used psychedelics have not been shining models of robust mental health.

OVERSOLD: DoNotPay has to pay $193K for falsely touting untested AI lawyer, FTC says.

IS THERE ANYTHING IT CAN’T DO? Study: Ozempic might lower risk of opioid overdose.

ROGER SIMON: CDC’s Redfield Could Be Most Powerful Trump Endorsement Yet. “When Dr. Robert Redfield—the director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention through much of the ‘pandemic’ (2018-2021)—wrote in Newsweek that he had joined RFK Jr and was supporting Mr. Trump, I immediately thought this could be the most significant endorsement of all. . . . Donald Trump, through his alliance with RFK Jr., has made it clear where he stands, although he too, for a while, was manipulated by Dr. Fauci and his colleagues. We must praise Dr. Redfield because it takes a brave man to admit you were wrong.”

MAKE THEM PAY: Court rules for fired U. Louisville professor who criticized gender ideology. “University of Louisville officials can be sued for their roles in firing a psychiatrist who criticized transgender drugs and surgeries for minors, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.”

HIGHER EDUCATION, A CESSPIT OF BIGOTRY AND MISINFORMATION: UPenn anti-Israel group falsely blames Jewish state for bombing it didn’t commit.