People will be closely studying how Hungary's opposition pulled off their win in such a pro-incumbent system. Important to note that the theme was corruption. Democrats need to get much better at calling out Trump's corruption.
Our districts are huge compared to other countries, but America is big. To a large degree that's just baked in. If we followed the cube root rule (~692), we'd still have many more people per legislator than any peer democracy. And there are good reasons no real democracy has thousands of seats.
Earth and Moon from DSCOVR NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite captured this unique view of the Moon as it moved in front of the sunlit side of Earth last month. This view shows the fully illuminated “dark side” of the moon that is never visible from Earth. Ian Regan processed this version of the image to account for the Moon's motion. NASA / NOAA / Ian Regan
I hadn't seen this before. This is pretty remarkable.
Earth and Moon in one NASA photo.
ht @astrokatie.com
The “everything sucks” mindset on both the right and left ignores reality, says Cato’s Marian Tupy. Living standards, incomes, and long-term affordability have risen in America—and there’s reason for optimism.
Learn more in the latest issue of Free Society magazine:
buff.ly/hcPZqDw
I think "the welfare state got substantially bigger during this period" should make the claim at least a *little* controversial.
The grid is fascinating, really. This incredibly complex physical/cyber/economic system that enables much of modern life runs continuously - with extremely competent, highly trained humans in the loop! - and is totally invisible to the rest of us except for the 0.0005% of the time when it fails.
"That inheritance is what made the West democratic and prosperous. It is also what made it stable: Citizens could dissent, businesses could invest and civil society could flourish because power was bounded by law." 2/
"The West’s precious, almost unique, achievement has been the limitation of state power. Since Magna Carta in 1215, the West gradually placed constraints on rulers — through rights for citizens, independent courts, a sovereign church and the sanctity of private property." 1/
A face-on spiral galaxy fills the view. Its bright, barred core is at the center of the image. The galaxy\u2019s core is bisected by reddish-brown dust that extends into its spiral arms. Bright pink-white star forming regions dot the spiral arms.
White, blue, orange, and red stars are scattered throughout the scene.
A massive spiral galaxy glows with a yellow core, surrounded by arms full of orange-brown dust and pink and blue patches of star formation. Framed by a haze of dark dust, the galaxy shines against black space dotted with a few stars.\n
A dense ball of stars sits at the center of the image, becoming less dense as you move away from the center. They are mostly bright-white stars, but red, yellow, blue, and orange stars are also dotted throughout the cluster. \n\n
hubble’s gorgeous recent new images to take your mind off the state of the world right now 🌌✨
Downloading new drivers to scan yet another document health insurance needs.
How is your spring break?
Interesting thread comparing US with Europe:
Because the world seems about as much fun as a car crash at the moment, please take a couple of minutes to listen to, what is in my opinion, the greatest guitar solo of all time.
Performed by Prince on the occasion of George Harrison's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2004.
Enjoy 🫠
Last three Republican presidents went to war against Iraq or Iran. Much loss of life, trauma for vets and civilians, giant sums of money spent.
US dependency on oil
Much US history in oil prices: prosperity growing after 1981 recession, staying strong in 90s, then Bush 43’s wars and China’s rise, but fracking/shale helped Obama & Trump 45.
#contract law and risk.
A few years ago, it was pandemic.
Now, sadly, war.
Cato Institute legal scholar Ilya Somin calls the war against Iran blatantly unconstitutional, emphasizing that “The Framers of the Constitution deliberately gave Congress exclusive control over the power to initiate war.”
buff.ly/6dFMn5P
“perfect competition”, rivalry, and #antitrust law
We agree about Pres & law enforcement.
Any of the others would be fun to discuss over a meal or like. 
“Smarties insufficiently constrained by the public“ part of arg for reducing power and discretion of ppl in federal agencies and state universities, as well as public sector unions trading political support for above market retirement benefits
Good thread based on a good NYTimes piece—plus interesting comments and discussion:
US median net worth nearly double 1989 v. NYTimes Tom Edsall
This was a very worthwhile conference!
Appreciate all the good comments on my work in progress on adhesion contracts, #arbitration and otherwise
GORSUCH: “.. permanent accretion of power in the hands of one man. That is no recipe for a republic.” 👀
Eager to teach from this new #arbitration book with terrific new co-authors, David Horton of @ucdavis.bsky.social & Tamar Meshel of @ualberta.bsky.social

Timeline cleanse
