Articles chosen with care. Your comments welcomed.
Linked articles in bold purple

◆ Irma Exodus: 1.4 million ordered to leave homes, largest mandatory evacuation in US history (Daily Mail)

The winds are ferocious and the width of the storm is enormous, producing floods and wind damage across a huge swath, no matter where the eye hits.

The Florida Keys are particularly vulnerable. But they are hardly alone.

◆ When idiots blather….I seldom pay attention

So, you won’t see “news” about Jennifer Lawrence’s views on what causes hurricanes or Rep. Maxine Waters views on anything.

Stephen Colbert’s decision to give a Nazi salute to Pres. Trump on the Late Show (Daily Beast) is worth mentioning, though, because it shows how low our public discourse has sunk.

But you didn’t need additional proof of that.

◆ Human interest: 16-year old turns in high-school math assignment…which has an elegant new theorem and proof (From the Grapevine)

Tamar Barabi, an Israeli who loves dancing and paying popular music, came up with the “Three Radii Theorem”:

If three or more equal lines leave a single point and reach the boundary of a circle, the point is the center of the circle and the lines are its radii.” Believe it or not, that’s the simple explanation. To compose the actual theorem, Barabi had to write up three proofs, a series of conclusions and some sample exercises.–From the Grapevine

◆ New York Times prints long essay on how awful the affluent are (New York Times)

The screed says it is aimed at the 1% but actually refers to New Yorkers whose incomes could not buy a modest two-bedroom in Manhattan.

Comment: It turns out that some of the really wealthy have nannies.

The op-ed stops just short of urging the guillotine.

◆ NY Mayor Bill de Blasio says a big problem for him is “the way the legal system favors private property” (New York Mag)

Comment: Fortunately, if you donate to him, he can help.

More serious comment: There are two deeper points here

1. The normalizing of socialist ideology in the American mainstream.
2. The limits on government’s endless expansion posed by private property rights and related rights of voluntary contacting. That’s why FDR had to attack them to enact the New Deal, beginning a long-term trend. The banner is now carried by de Blasio, Bernie, and Eliz. Warren.

◆ Lawsuit over 9/11 attacks moving forward against Saudi Arabian government. Plaintiffs claim they have evidence some attackers were part of a Saudi-government controlled network, which also funded a dry-run of the attack (New York Post)

This lawsuit can proceed because of an act of Congress. Normally, such suits against foreign governments would be prohibited.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Hat Tip to

◆ Cheryl Brownstein for the story about the 16-year old math student

◆ Tom Elia for story about rich New Yorkers