A Republic or an Empire?

Alleged International Crime Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited To Ireland Following Dubai Arrest Alleged Irish mob boss Daniel Kinahan was charged in Dublin, Ireland on August 9th with directing a criminal organization.  Alleged Irish crime gang boss Daniel Kinahan, after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates, leaves the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 9, 2026. Natalia Campos/Reuters The 49-year-old Kinahan was arrested in April in Dubai, where he had been residing for several years, following an extradition request from the Republic of Ireland. He was flown to a military base...

Cost Of California's High-Speed Rail Goes Up Again Authored by Kerry Johnson via  Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, It was supposed to cost $33 billion when voters approved the train in 2008. It will now cost at least $126 billion. It was also supposed to be carrying 65.5 million to 96.5 million intercity riders a year by 2030. Yet now 2040 is the date for “full service to start.” Skeptics don’t believe we’ll ever see the train run with paying customers aboard. “In my judgment, the Draft 2026 Business Plan describes a project that...

Peak Lobotomized American Consumer Submitted by QTR's Fringe Finance There’s a very specific kind of financial confession I’ve had to make to myself recently. I see charges pop up on my phone’s home screen on various credit cards all the time. A lot of times they just say “Apple” or “Amazon.” No details. No explanation. Just a clean, confident withdrawal from my account like I’m renting air to breathe from both of these companies. And like a good American lobotomized consumer, I do absolutely nothing about it. I don’t investigate. I don’t even...