Ripple

A water drop and ripples

The school gun panic reveals we’re being ruled by predators and prey.

By Justin Katz | December 20, 2021 |

In separate incidents, Woonsocket arrested two 12 year olds.  The photo accompanying Lauren Clem’s Valley Breeze article is worth a glance.  It shows a child being led away in handcuffs by a much larger police officer while another carries his backpack. One of the children (although I don’t know whether it was this one) involved a…

A water drop and ripples

I wish I could have heard Mahler’s symphonies before the advent of cartoons.

By Justin Katz | December 19, 2021 |

The musical innovations must have been compelling at the time, but the arrangements are so narrative, I feel like I’m listening to a Bugs Bunny soundtrack or something.

A water drop and ripples

Representative democracy is lost inch by inch.

By Justin Katz | December 17, 2021 |

What can one say?  John’s questions are exactly on point, but nobody is surprised about what’s going on: Why is an unelected official making all the Covid decisions?  Governor Dan McKee seems content to allow Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott to make all Covid decisions including decisions that are different than Massachusetts. Why is testing so…

A water drop and ripples

Anybody old enough to remember when Biden botched an Afghanistan withdrawal?

By Justin Katz | December 17, 2021 |

This is worth remembering, especially because so many people charged with keeping an eye on things want to forget it: We found out about the 14,000 abandoned Americans almost two months ago, of whom the State Department only shows 900 exfiltrated thus far. We also knew that the US had abandoned tens of thousands of…

A water drop and ripples

It’s still amazing to me that some folks malign GOP representatives for this.

By Justin Katz | December 17, 2021 |

Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Louie Gohmert visited the men being held in prison for involvement in January 6 and released a report of their findings. That this isn’t a subject of interest much more broadly is mind blowing.  In fact, much of the commentary I see treats it as somehow inappropriate of Greene…

A water drop and ripples

Is Rhode Island too small for its own citizens’ good?

By Justin Katz | December 16, 2021 |

One part of my diagnosis of Rhode Island’s problems is that it’s just not big enough for opposing factions to build up and keep each other honest in state-level government.  Pushback against the New York governor’s mask mandate at the county level brough that to mind: At least 13 counties in New York state are…

A water drop and ripples

Get it while it’s mild!

By Justin Katz | December 16, 2021 |

I’m more or less with Stephen Green on this question: I really want to catch the omicron variant, and the sooner the better. … The best part? That Israeli study showing that a combination of natural immunity plus vaccination is the best protection against some nastier variant. I already got the shots. Now science is…

A water drop and ripples

Incorrect truck tolls are another source of inconvenience.

By Justin Katz | December 16, 2021 |

When people in government are pushing for new programs, especially programs to extract money from the economy, it’s crucial to remember all the little unforeseen events — inconveniences, errors, and so on.  The fact that nothing ever works as perfectly in real life as it does on paper is why voters and taxpayers ought always…

A water drop and ripples

You really need to witness the absurdity of men in women’s sports.

By Justin Katz | December 15, 2021 |

Understandably the text and numbers provided in news stories about the record-setting run of a male swimmer identifying as a female in Ivy League competitions are kind of abstract to most people.  Matt Walsh provides video of Princeton’s trans superstar lapping the competition: Just to show you how absurd this is. Here’s the trans swimmer…

A water drop and ripples

The bias against traditional values is deep and pervasive.

By Justin Katz | December 15, 2021 |

Those who think that a Christian flag should be unique in being disallowed from public flagpoles may not be bigots: Over the past 12 years there have been 284 flags—from LGBTQ rainbow flags, a Turkish flag with the Islamic star, to Communist China flags—raised on a public flagpole owned by the city of Boston. But…