Tuesday evening reading - December 17, 2024
More goodies from the stack of stuff I read on a daily basis here on Substack.

When I get to between six and eight posts (or so) I think are worth sharing, you’ll get Tuesday evening reading. It won’t be every week, but likely about once or twice a month. There’s nothing wrong with link love!
So here goes, with the last one from an eventful 2024. Read them first then come back and see what I have to say with it.
These are pretty good suggestions that
came up with, but the one I liked best was annexing Greenland. Why not? Alaska worked out pretty well when we purchased it. It seems like we will have an interesting four years of good, out-of-the-box ideas.The same comes from
, who has a longer look at what he terms the “counterrevolution.”As Rufo writes, “The Trump administration has been assembling a stellar reform team.” I agree, so far.
And speaking of Trump part deux, how about some accountability in the DoJ, asks
.Ever since Trump’s decisive victory, many anti-Trump pundits who either endorsed or turned a blind eye to the vengeful weaponization of Joe Biden’s Department of Justice now are predictably demanding a “lawfare” ceasefire on the baseless assumption that the American people want to move on.
We can’t “move on” from justice. Part of the reason Trump was put in there was because we had a two-tier justice system, and it’s time for some of those in the upper tier who thought they were above the law to face justice at last.
And while we’re at it, how about some needed reform in the schools? Actually,
talks more about an action any school can take to create a more successful learning environment.Backing away from the political,
has been on a roll lately in questioning the way of the world. Let’s start with this one.I used to be more of a college football fan than I am now, although I still dip my toe in every so often to follow my alma mater, which somehow parlayed a disgraceful performance in the MAC Championship game against a team they should have beaten like a rented mule into a slot in the “Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop.”
A week earlier, when Michigan upset Ohio State in Columbus, much was made about the $20 million Ohio State put up to acquire its (losing) team. I’d be willing to bet that Ohio State and Michigan alone put up more NIL money for football (heck, for all sports) than the entire Mid-American Conference that Miami has played in since 1947. And that’s the problem as college sports subdivides itself into the haves and have-nots, becoming a farm system for professional sports leagues already in dutch to gambling interests.
Makes you wonder why some people would rather just skip college.
And then Ted talks about all those who want to put artists out of business.
As Giola opines, “Writers should look at what’s happening to musicians—because this is a template for other AI initiatives.”
As most of you know, I’ve written two books, and they are hard work to do part-time. I can see why you have to have talent and drive to write full-time and make a living from it.
So I think it IS a problem with AI writing books, particularly if they come out like the slop some of the obviously AI-written Facebook posts that litter my feed do. Ted’s even closer to the problem than I am.
And here’s another problem, on a Biblical scale.
As some would put it, I am still a “baby Christian,” having been saved as a middle-aged adult as opposed to a child in school.
Fortunately, I have been a member of a Bible-believing and teaching church and have pretty much stayed away from the prosperity gospel and errant teaching, as
puts it:The prosperity and “Word of Faith” gospels are perversions of the true Gospel. They falsely claim that God rewards an increase in faith with increases in health and/or wealth and that the Atonement of Christ includes not just the removal of sin, but also the removal of sickness and poverty.
As I’m well aware, the Lord provides my needs but not always my wants. Nor has he removed all my sickness, as I can attest: I’ve been under the weather quite a bit lately. But I still strive to walk with my Lord and Savior nonetheless and I have good teachers in my church and small groups to guide me.
Finally, let’s talk about a Christmas present that changed the young life of
.As he writes:
But that brings me to Christmas, 1958 or 59, I don’t remember which it was, but I do remember being extremely surprised and elated with my Christmas gift.
It was a hand-held transistor radio. It was a gift that would open up a whole new world to a boy tucked away in a holler in West Virginia.
Charles is probably about 15 years older than I am, and I grew up on the farm fields of northwest Ohio without a hill in sight. But when I was a young lad, I used to turn the dial of my old AM radio just to see what I could listen to. I even kept a list of the stations, including WOWO in Fort Wayne (which was pretty much a blowtorch where I lived, as were WJR and CKLW out of the Detroit area, since I lived pretty much smack dab in the center between the two.) But I did pick up stations as far away as Boston, Chicago, New York, and Des Moines on the right nights.
All that should keep a good reader going and thinking for awhile. Now I’ll keep collecting for next time.
In the meantime, though, you can Buy Me a Coffee, since I have a page there now. I also have a Holiday Sale going on - 50% off an annual subscription.
The picture was great. Another fine selection Michael.
Thanks for the mention Michael.