Dueling Big Brothers In Ohio

     There are dueling bill in Ohio, both of which seek control over your access to the internet.

     The first is SB175, which says, covers “application stores” that provided applications or programs and “operating systems” that manage applications or programs on any computer or similar device… and also cover any “operating system provider” which includes anyone and everyone that “owns, operates, or controls the operating system software on a computer, mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device”. This means that anyone with a computer is will be required to collect and prove the age of any and all users, and anyone who is a developer must receive and assess the age information of anyone and everyone.

     The alternative ain’t exactly great either. SB167 covers pretty much every and all website, publically available program, or “app” that could possibly be accessed by a minor (i.e. everything).

     It is a sad state of things when the argument isn’t even of whether we should accept a digital “Big Brother”, but which digital “Big Brother” we should champion… particularly when predetermined age brackets are involved.

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Artificial Eggs Means One Thing: Bird Girls!

     We’ve heard of artificial wombs, but what about artificial eggs? That’s being taken care of.

“Scientists have managed to hatch live chicks from a fully artificial egg – marking a de-extinction breakthrough that paves the way for resurrecting long-dead species.

“Experts at Colossal Biosciences, the company planning to bring back the woolly mammoth, have created the first ever shell-less incubation system that mirrors a natural egg ‘as much as possible’.

“The team were able to take early bird embryos, place them into an artificial shell and incubate them for 18 days while they developed.

“Once the chicks were ready, they hatched from their cosy home and are now living happy, healthy lives.”

     More interestingly, they transferred an embryo to an artificial egg, with great success.

“An embryology team thoroughly examined each egg and selected the embryos that looked most likely to hatch.

“They then cracked the egg open very gently and transferred the contents into the artificial egg, which was then placed in an incubator.

“Scientists ‘sprinkled’ in a nutrient that helped the embryo continue to develop. Roughly 18 days later the chick started tapping against the egg to indicate it was ready to hatch.

“After hatching, all chicks were put in groups and eventually moved to a ‘graduation pen’ outside before being relocated to a large farm.”

     Obviously, this leads to one clear outcome: Genetically engineered birb girls!

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The Semiquincentenial Question: Why Is America The Best?

     America is different from and better than the rest of the world. But, during this semiquincentenial, do people really understand why? Your humble author has opined quite often on the question and it can be a difficult one to ponder properly, especially if one has hitherto just taken it for granted.

     The question to you, dear reader, is what makes America different from the rest of the world—different and better than even the rest of Western Civilizationܻ—that makes it a superlative amongst superlatives?

     I do not mean, of course, to give credence to slogans or trite phrases. I refer not even of our achievements, but what substantive elements of our society and culture that contribute to not only those achievements but to America more broadly? It isn’t just that it is ours and that being ours makes is subjectively special, but what makes America objectively special. Nor is it about some magical combination of blood and soil, nor even per se, things common elsewhere such as Christianity or other broader conventions from the social sprachbund that is Western Civilization—for clearly America is greater than Europe and even the broader Anglosphere.

     In this extra-Patriotic season between Flag Day and Independence Day, in what ought to be an extra-Patriotic year celebrating America’s 250th birthday, let us all contemplate, beyond mere superficiality and familiarity, what substantiality makes American Exceptionalism so exceptionally marvelous.

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News of the Week (June 14th, 2026)

 

News of the Week for June 14th, 2026


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Happy Flag Day At 250!

     Happy Flag Day!

     There are many historical flags associated with the United States. But on this Flag Day, we should remember, above all else, our flag that we have today.

     This is who we are; this is who this glorious flag represents.

     This is ours, and can not be taken away.

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Firing Line Friday: The Future of the American Theater

     In the hopes of encouraging a more civil, and illuminating, discourse, here is another episode of William F. Buckley, Jr.’s “Firing Line”.

     Ah yes, the eternal battle of artist and critic! It was not that different sixty years go when William F. Buckley, Jr. and David Merrick discussed the future of the American theater.

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Quick Takes – Will DEI Die? No More DEI Job Requirement At Catholic Universities; Bill To Ban DEI In Mississippi; Louisiana DOESN’T Kill DEI

     Another “quick takes” on items where there is too little to say to make a complete article, but is still important enough to comment on.

     The focus this time: Live and let DEI or let Die?

     First, a little mood music:

     Carrying on…

     It’s almost as if some universities don’t know what they are even promoting until they are told.

“Two Benedictine colleges in Minnesota removed DEI requirements from a job listing for a visiting assistant professor after Campus Reform inquired about the post.

“Saint John’s University in Collegeville and the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph are sister schools that jointly posted the job advertisement for Visiting Assistant Professor – Political Science that listed ‘Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion’ under ‘Required’ qualifications.

“On Oct. 27 at approximately 3:30pm, Campus Reform reached out to school administration, members of the CSB/SJU Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Advisory Board, as well as the Senior Diversity Officer, Sandra Mitchell for comment.”

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You Can’t Restore What Wasn’t Lost Or Even There To Begin With

     What makes America the superlative nation, superior to even the rest of Western Civilization, hasn’t been lost, at least not truly. Despite the attempt by many to fundamentally transform it, there is a certain vital essence that still pervades American society and culture. We should seek to renew this, for it can only exist with constant renewal, not from some Earthly savior or great government scheme, but by the shared values and ways of the individuals who make up the American people.

     More importantly, no one can “restore” what America never truly was, but some with it had been and could be in the future. This “restoration” is more European in spirit, regardless of the superficial American characteristics. Less a restoration than the draping of a skinsuit. One such new organization with plenty of tells that they are supportive of more foreign ways of structuring society is a group called the “American Restoration Project”.

     One of the hallmarks of American civilization, and the broader Anglospheric one before that, was the rejection of the “Norman Yoke” and a recognition that the people and their rulers were not only separate and distinct, but in opposition to each other, and that either the government, be it a king or a parliament, must be yoked lest the people themselves become yoked. This is the very nature of the relationship, and not the outcome of a particular leadership class, nor is it fixable by selected a set of leaders to rule over the hoi polloi. Yet, this is the very attitude of this so-called restoration project, and it is a dead give-away when they talk not of leaders running government, but of society itself. This is socialism of the non-Marxist vein that has rotten Europe since America severed itself from the Old World.

     But this social democracy mindset is not limited to that, and is quite collectivist. They claim that a “healthy society gives its people more than services. It gives them identity, shared purpose, and the conviction that their community is worth belonging to”. Except whence does society get these things from? Society is but a grouping of individual with individual wills and individual rights that share these things in common. It must come organically from the individual within society, for it can not be provided by some Volonte Generale or other such false god, since “society” created and produces nothing not stemming from the individual people themselves. We are not mere appendages of a “society” that some leadership elite can control and manipulate, as the history of socialism has aptly shown; nor is society “built” by a leadership class either by their own superiority or by channeling the   Volonte Generale as if the people had a singular and motive will. When the very meaning of your life must be granted by your ruling overlords via “society”, then you are spiritually nothing more than a slave.

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Nekomimi Anarchy

     Some people are concerned about the ethical implications of biotechnology and bioengineering:

“Some biotechnologists are intent on pursuing radical biotechnologies — whether to eliminate disease, or as I expect to become the bigger, more remunerative draw, to create designer babies enhanced to be smarter, more beautiful, or otherwise made to order — regardless of the ethical questions.

“…

“Biotechnology companies and researchers are playing a game of ‘hide the ball’ here. They agree to ban or voluntarily refrain from doing that which can’t yet be done but conduct the very experiments necessary to learn how to do it.”

     And one such potential avenue involves CRISPR technology.

“CRISPR, like most biotechnologies, is a double-edged sword. It can be used therapeutically to treat disease-causing genes, or it can be deployed eugenically to ‘enhance’ babies subjectively — to manipulate them as mere products — designed (theoretically) to order. In other words, a new regime of eugenics, but this time with near limitless capabilities.

“…

“This is the road to biotechnological anarchy.”

     Such open ended experimentation need not result horrible results in society, but can, and ought, to be used for ethical purposes, and what is more ethical than genetically engineering catgirls suitable for domestic adoption… even if they are Ⓐ punk rockers!

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Digital Big Brother In Arizona

     A new bill in Arizona is poised to add that state to the many that are now requiring identity verification for apps and even operating systems.  This digital big brother would apply to purveyors of operating systems and apps/programs even if they refuse to sell in Arizona. Soon, Arizona will join Utah in requiring that you present your digital papers. The current version of HB 2991, as heavily amended, requires third party age verification and applies to any software for any “general purpose computing device”, to any distributor of said software, or anyone who develops, maintains, or distributes an operating system!

     Oh, and it requires they collect data regarding who one communicates with using “social media”, with access given to “parents”. Can’t build the infrastructure to do that for “child” accounts without building the infrastructure to do it for everyone. Companies are also required to share and compare “age verification data”, which, again, sets the infrastructure needed to do the same with any data the government later decides.

     As usual, this is supposed to involve anonymous age verification, but anonymity is impossible with the requirements of this bill, especially if intended to be limited to “children”.

     Moreover, as of writing, this bill hasn’t moved to a final floor vote in the state Senate… but may be snuck into the budget bill!

     The bill, as of writing, can be read here or below:

Arizona HB2991 (2026) – SENATE – Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency – Strike Everything by ThePoliticalHat

     Hat Tip: Julie Barrett.

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