Sunday Reads...
- Greg McNeilly
- Sep 28
- 3 min read
An irregular roundup of thought-provoking reads. Most made me go “hmm…”
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
If you think free speech is okay for you but not for your political opponents, you're illiberal. If no evidence could change your beliefs, you're a fundamentalist. If you believe the government should punish people with opposing views, you're a totalitarian. If you think political opponents should be punished with violence or death, you're a terrorist. – J. K. Rowling
The forgiveness for a millennium:
Full service that was streamed to over 100 million viewers (that’s not a typo), in aggregate, available here.
The contrasted messaging of Kirk’s memorial was noted.
Freedom of Speech wins! Google is reinstating “banned” accounts on YouTube.
(Re)reading “The American Boy” by Theodore Roosevelt.
Say it ain’t so! The use of semicolons is in decline, experts claim.
Ugh. Bad values and priorities! Young(er) people prioritizing wealth over marriage.
The Mississippi Miracle, leaving Michigan, Texas, Ohio, etc., in the dust.
How to raise a “reader” in the age of screens and stimulation.
When punching Hitler in the face was controversial.
How to have better conversations and be human!
Strange and odd dinosaurs.
The return of cassette tapes to the classroom – no, really!
Why Polar Bears don’t hibernate.
Ouch & Sad. Donors give because they support a cause, not to be con’d: BLM official makes stunning admission.
Fascism in America: The government pressured private companies to censor private citizens.
US News & World Report released its latest university rankings.
Vote for which is the best fat bear!
Teacher union bosses are behaving badly, still.
Another politician behaving badly, per a filed lawsuit.
The long history of the “family office” dates back to the 1500s and continues to this day.
Recalling a duck hunt that turned into the Federal Reserve system.
The WSJ notes “Ted Cruz’s Finest Hour.”
Can a “law and order” approach help curb political violence in America? One columnist says yes.
How to talk to teens about their online activity. Please, parents, be engaged, not merely permissive.
How middle-class kids struggle with entitlement and wealth creation gets studied.
Diving boards disappeared due to safety concerns, but they weren’t the driver of accidents. Explore here.
Reflections on why fertility rates are declining as a cultural signal.
Comedian arrested by U.S. politician speaks out.
Longer syllabic apologies engendered a better reception, per the “science.”
Where is Congress on Venezuelan Boat strike oversight?
5,000 “words” added to the dictionary. Many of them sus.
A National Guard explainer.
America’s most misunderstood currency: $2.
Ex-government officials allegedly violate classified document laws, again.
A recent study found that, on average, less than a third of family wealth typically passes to the second generation. Just 12% of family wealth reaches the third generation, and 3% makes it to the fourth.
Inside the business of web domains.
Mapping poverty in America by state.
The latest polling on the partisan configuration of the U.S. electorate from Decision Desk.
Promising! Scientists create a clear coat that turns windows into solar panels.
Promising signals on the autism front.
Why does Gen Z hate work? Think: Influencers.
Unmasking “unmasking theories” which are almost all unfalsifiable – ergo not science.
A challenging challenge: Why are transgender individuals disproportionately represented in the sex offender population?
From the wayback machine – a 1959 lunch counter menu, here.
Daybright, a new beverage concept launching from the parent company of Chick-fil-A.
Good news! Law enforcement busts a cyber-cell plot in the U.S.
Nine takeaways from Kamala Harris’ book.
America’s culture in 25 charts.
Need a resource to learn music? Check out Circle of Thirds.
Sherman-Williams introduces its 2026 “Color of the Year,” and its, in a word, mainstream.
Life lessons from a 100-year-old.
Celebrating Constitution Day.
Rocky Horror Picture Show turns 50.
Yikes. The world’s longest fingernails took 34 years to grow. Not a look that I can appreciate, but maybe for someone!
How the Kent State Shooting gave us the punk band Devo.
The “Tom Thumb” story behind the creation of mini-golf.
AI:
Currently, Americans see more challenges than opportunities in AI.
AI passes the highest level CFM test in minutes – but still doesn’t know your name without an input.
Is AI work retarding productivity?
The free market is making the most significant investment in history at present (in AI).
TRAVEL
That "heroiin thing," a classic David Foster Wallace perspective:
