In a blow to free speech, pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of fraud by a court in Hong Kong as China works to stamp out dissent. District Court judge Stanley Chan said Lai committed fraud by not revealing that he operated a consulting firm from the offices of his media company—a violation of his lease with a government-owned entity. Continue Reading...
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October 27, 2022
Heaven and Hell in America: Dante’s Indiana
In a cultural landscape that is often hostile—or at best indifferent—to religion, a popular and widely lauded novel whose plot focuses not only on matters of faith but also a main character whose worldview and identity is shaped entirely by his Catholicism is a rare occurrence. Continue Reading...
October 26, 2022
Banking, Panics, and Regs: The 2022 Economics Nobel
Earlier this month, Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond, and Philip Dybvig were awarded the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel. Bernanke, Diamond, and Dybvig were honored for their many contributions to our shared understanding of both the role of banking and banking failures. Continue Reading...
October 25, 2022
Religious Liberty and the American Founding
The religion clauses in the First Amendment are among the most hotly debated topics in constitutional law and history. Unfortunately, the records of the Founders don’t always offer much help in elucidating their meaning. Continue Reading...
October 21, 2022
For Britain’s PM, Chaos Has Consequences
Boris Johnson, though deeply flawed, was the glue that held the British Conservative Party together. His electoral reach, charisma, and commitment to deliver Brexit put together a huge majority of 80 seats over all other parties combined in the 650-seat House of Commons. Continue Reading...
October 20, 2022
Andor Succeeds Where Other Star Warriors Fail
If there’s anything close to national mythology in America nowadays, it’s Marvel. This may be depressing, but we should nevertheless face the fact and make the best of it. Before that, it was Star Wars, which is still an incredibly profitable business, even as it is failing. Continue Reading...
October 19, 2022
The Next American Economy Is Cause for Hope
Let me start with my summary judgement of The Next American Economy: Nation, State, and Markets in an Uncertain World: Samuel Gregg has written an outstanding contribution to the theory and practice of political economy for our times. Continue Reading...
October 18, 2022
Unlocking the Mystery of Your Wildest Problems
The most thought-provoking scene in John Boorman’s 1981 lavish epic fantasy film, Excalibur, is one of its most understated. It’s a conversation about love. King Arthur stares enchanted by the Lady Guinevere as she dances across the great hall. Continue Reading...
October 13, 2022
Blonde at Its Best Highlights What’s Worst
Director Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, now available on Netflix and starring Ana de Armas as “blonde bombshell” Marilyn Monroe, is a long film. Not merely because of its almost three-hour run time but also because it feels long when you’re watching it. Continue Reading...
October 12, 2022
Aaron Judge, the Asterisk, and the Record Books
So Aaron Judge sits atop the American League record books for most home runs hit in a single season—62, breaking fellow Yankee Roger Maris’ 60-plus-year record. And by all accounts, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Continue Reading...