Matt Healy

The Murdoch succession deal may turn out to be one of this decade’s quiet tragedies.

Had the majority of heirs prevailed, Rupert’s death could have opened the door to reform at Fox News.

But Rupert's preferred heir will retain control.

Make America Greedy Again.
When resentment hires a marketing firm and calls itself patriotism,
you get a Festivus remake of the Gilded Age — complete with grievance, gold leaf, and bad acting.

Opinion | We Need to Rethink How We Think About the Holocaust

Extremely important article by a Holocaust scholar about how the current climate makes it impossible to ask crucial questions

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/o...

Screenshot of a web page from electoral-vote.com dated October 31, 2025. The passage criticizes South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, describing her daily press briefings as defensive and dismissive of critics. A quoted statement attributed to Noem claims that no American citizens have been arrested or detained, that her department focuses only on those in the U.S. illegally, and that any reports suggesting otherwise are “not true and false reporting.” The commentary below questions whether she genuinely believes this, suggesting she is detached from reality and noting that even those who support strict immigration enforcement would admit that some innocent people are inevitably caught up in such operations.

Noem is lying through her teeth. But then she's been through the standard MAGA woman's surgical procedure: extract the soul, emulsify it, and inject the emulsified remnants to reshape the face.

Did a Canadian ad mislead on Reagan’s tariffs comments? A TV ad by Canada’s Ontario province government shows a 1987 video of President Ronald Reagan warning that tariffs hurt Americans. Saying it misleads goes too far.

That Canadian ad quoting Reagan was an accurate representation of his views on tariffs: it just left out minor nuances. The claim that it misrepresented Reagan's views is Mostly False.

www.politifact.com/factchecks/2...

We need "statistics appreciation" classes, akin to Music Appreciation or Art History. Just as one can know something about art or music without knowing how to paint or play an instrument, one can learn to recognize statistics abuse without actually doing the analysis. Stats classes emphasize the manipulation techniques, rather than understanding why.

We need "statistics appreciation" classes, akin to Music Appreciation or Art History. Just as one can know something about art or music without knowing how to paint or play an instrument, one can learn to recognize statistics abuse without actually doing the analysis.

A 1942 building like the White House East Wing may have had asbestos. No permits or remediation records are public, and this Administration blocks FOIA. When even judges say they can’t trust it to follow procedures, “trust us” isn’t good enough.

If I were King Of The World every secondary school on the planet would have students write and take an oral examination on the content of an essay entitled "Confounding factors, spurious correlations, confidence intervals, and p-hacking." Bonus points if they can also explain why many researchers USED TO respect John Ioannidis. If you don't get the above, do a few Google searches.

If I were King Of The World every secondary school on the planet would have students write and take an oral examination on the content of an essay entitled "Confounding factors, spurious correlations, confidence intervals, and p-hacking."

Why do so many people think rudeness implies honesty?

One can tell the truth politely or rudely.

One can lie politely or rudely.

Teenage me was appalled at both Nixon's lies and at the frequency of [expletive deleted] in the Transcripts (which, back then I had to buy as a paperback).

"It is, I suppose, technically possible that Congress or the Supreme Court will attempt to assemble a few fractured vertebrae in the direction of a spine. But if that ever happens, it will be news indeed and I promise to help convey it."

— Jonathan D. Simon, on whowhatwhy.org

Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor. If you don't know about her, look her up. A LOT of good things we take for granted might not exist without her.

A fascinating "what if" on the electoral-vote.com website... B.T. in Corpus Christi, TX, asks: If Operation Valkyrie had succeeded, what are the likely World War II outcomes? (Z) answers: The attempt took place on July 20, 1944, by which time the D-Day invasion had succeeded and the Allies had definitively seized the initiative in Europe. This being the case, it's hard to see how the war in Europe would have ended much differently. There would have been less death and destruction, since there would have been no Battle of the Bulge and no bombing of Dresden, and the concentration camps would have been liberated earlier. However, it still would have ended with a complete German surrender and partitioning (even though the conspirators entertained the fantasy that they would not only be able to keep the nation together, but they would be allowed to retain Czechoslovakia, Austria and Poland). Where it might have made a big difference is in Asia. The atomic bombs were most certainly not ready by July of 1944. And there would have been enormous political pressure on the leadership of the Allied powers to bring that part of the war to an end. So, instead of two nuclear bombs followed by a surrender, there might have been a massive invasion of Japan and its occupied territories by some sort of joint Russian-British-American force. That would have been bloody, indeed. Meanwhile, if the world was not given a lesson in the destructive power of nuclear arms, that might well have come some years later, by which time the bombs were vastly more powerful. That would have been very bloody, as well

From The Guardian: Recent events have once again highlighted the blind spots of Israeli media coverage on both sides of the Gazan border. Every outlet seeks to examine every possible angle of Hamas’s violations of the ceasefire. And, in general, the fact that Hamas has been stalling the return of the bodies of killed Israeli hostages has dominated the headlines. By contrast, coverage of civilian casualties in Gaza resulting from Israeli strikes has received little attention – if any. Take the Israeli retaliatory attacks following Sunday’s Rafah incident, in which two soldiers were killed. While Gaza’s authorities reported 44 deaths, Israeli television commentators criticised the “light response”, which targeted only infrastructure.

As awful as the destruction of the White House is, if this is what finally shocks the GOP to their senses maybe it will be good for the country.

Are we about to watch the plot of this novel about a failing President starting a reckless war on druglords in real life?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_a...

A “Chordate GOP” would need to re-evolve a spine, a head, and bilateral sense — in other words, rediscover both principles and perception. Until then, the currents of media and money will keep its Cnidarian descendant pulsing and drifting, beautifully efficient at stinging but incapable of steering.

Screenshot of an X post. The top post, by user “Quack man (@dwdlisney55),” says: “But it is what they voted for. Trump was very clear as to what he was going to do. No excuses.” Below it is a quoted post from Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) dated Oct 22, reading: “Donald Trump is building a ballroom twice the size of the White House. He says it’s ‘his money,’ but it’s really from companies chasing favors. Meanwhile, farmers can’t sell soybeans and the government’s shut down. This isn’t what Americans voted for.” The quoted post includes a photo of Jessica Tarlov speaking on television, wearing a red blazer and glasses, against a blue studio background.

America’s governing paralysis has a biological analogue. The Republican Party has evolved into a cnidarian life form — decentralized, translucent, and reactive. Like a jellyfish, it has no brain, only a nerve net that fires when touched. Stimuli come from grievance media, campaign donors, and online mobs; the organism pulsates, lashes out, then drifts on. It can sting, but it cannot steer. That’s why serious policy — on AI governance, climate adaptation, or infrastructure — now emerges mainly from states, courts, and foreign allies. The national party long ago surrendered thought for reflex.

Even more circular, allegedly, Biff Tannen's character in BTTF 2 was based on Trump.

I for one think the Epstein Ballroom will be magnificent. I love the decor theme of “what if Uday Hussein ran a Ramada Inn.” And giving it a theme song everyone will associate with it is a stroke of brilliance! “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” is very catchy.

Mayo Clinic will be out-of-network for certain Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 UnitedHealthCare (UHC) and Humana both confirmed to KTTC they would not provide individual Medicare Advantage plans for Mayo Clinic patients, starting Jan. 1.

Mayo Clinic will be out of network for some big Medicare Advantage programs, but will accept traditional Medicare. Just more evidence that Medicare Advantage is fundamentally flawed.

www.kttc.com/2025/10/22/m...

Google Power Tower. One of the most cost-effective exercise devices put there. A major part of my recovery from chemo.

Oooooh just thought of something I could post that immediately reminded me that the person who needs my warning about "The Failure Mode of Clever" the most is 100% me

Many say Roe v. Wade created the Religious Right—but that’s misleading. The real spark was racism. Two little-known cases, Green v. Connally and Coit v. Green, ended tax exemptions for segregation academies that sprang up after Brown v. Board. Paul Weyrich (co-founder of the Heritage Foundation) was outraged by those rulings. Realizing that defending racist schools wouldn’t mobilize Evangelicals, he pivoted to abortion. And built a movement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coit_v._Green https://amc.sas.upenn.edu/sites/www.sas.upenn.edu.andrea-mitchell-center/files/Balmer%20-%20Historian's%20Pickaxe.pdf https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133/

Many say Roe v. Wade created the Religious Right—but that’s misleading. The real spark was racism. Two little-known cases, Green v. Connally and Coit v. Green, ended tax exemptions for segregation academies that sprang up after Brown v. Board.

A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, according to CBS News. That made me wonder how many of the “good people” Trump has pardoned have gone on to commit new crimes — but I can’t find anyone systematically tracking it. From what I can piece together, the numbers are surprisingly vague: First-Term Trump Pardons: about 237 Of those, at least 10 —and possibly as many as 30 — have been convicted or indicted for serious offenses committed after receiving their pardons. Second-Term Trump Pardons: roughly 1,500 to 1,600, including large numbers of Jan 6 defendants. Of those, already several have landed back in the headlines for new legal trouble — and the term isn’t even over.

The “good people” Trump has pardoned sometimes go on to commit new crimes — but I can’t find anyone systematically tracking it. From what I can piece together, the numbers are surprisingly vague.

Public trust in science has declined since COVID — virologists need to unite around safety standards Creating international viral biosafety guidelines are key to clearing up confusion, regaining trust and ensuring that essential research continues.

Calling all #virologists🧪

@amersocvirology.bsky.social @europeanvirology.bsky.social @cansocvirol.bsky.social @ausvirologysoc.bsky.social @cidrap.bsky.social @utrechtvirology.bsky.social @matthewdhealy.bsky.social @angierasmussen.bsky.social @wallenmiller.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

David Dunning: Overcoming Overconfidence Dunning, co-discoverer of the Dunning-Kruger effect, investigates the misinformation gap built into our brains: We don't know what we don't know.

Dunning-Kruger: it's more complicated and more subtle than most articles about it say. Here's an interview with Dunning himself.

www.openmindmag.org/articles/dav...

Online we can self-assemble faster than ever—sometimes for rescue, sometimes for ruin. Gutenberg’s press birthed both science and religious wars; the digital press may prove just as double-edged.

GOP doesn't want you to know this: "The main reason for the shortfall is rising inequality: a growing share of wages are going to people making more than the Social Security maximum, and income above the maximum isn’t taxed." Or this: "So roughly speaking we could raise enough money to sustain Social Security as it is simply by not letting Republicans cut taxes for the rich. OK, I know that we would have a deficit problem even without those tax cuts. But you can’t simultaneously support the G.O.P.’s tax agenda and claim that Social Security is in desperate financial straits, which can only be solved with radical cuts or privatization." https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-clean-little-secret-of-social

GOP doesn't want you to know this:

"The main reason for the shortfall is rising inequality: a growing share of wages are going to people making more than the Social Security maximum, and income above the maximum isn’t taxed."

paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-clean-...

Stolen from a comment:

WEI Hire

White
Entitled
Incompetent

MANY examples in this Administration