Art and the Homeless

... is it a fallacious argument to object that 'a million people will be disappointed' (out of a total of possibly hundreds of millions) Not necessarily — it depends on how the “million people will be disappointed” claim is being used in the argument.  When it is fallacious It becomes a fallacy if the argument treats that disappointment as a decisive reason to avoid an action, while ignoring scale or tradeoffs. A few common ways this happens: 1. Appeal to pity / emotion without weighing costs    “We can’t cancel the event — a million people will be disappointed.”    That frames disappointment as trumping all other factors. If the alternative is preventing harm to 10 million people, or the event costs $2B, then the argument is disproportionate. This is a form of appeal to emotion. 2. Implied false consensus / misleading by numbers    “A million people will be disappointed” sounds huge, but if the relevant population is 300 million, that’s 0.33%. Present...

... the difficult question is children born in the USA of unlawful residents The central issue in Trump v. Barbara is whether children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants are automatically citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens.”  The Trump administration argues that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” excludes children of undocumented immigrants, claiming such parents lack the required allegiance and domicile, and that the clause was intended only to cover those with permanent legal status. It relies on a narrow reading of United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), asserting the decision applied only to parents with “permanent domicile.”  Challengers, including the ACLU and multiple states, argue that birthright citizenship is guaranteed to nearly all children born on U.S. soil, regardless of parental status, based on the plain...

... Rate the best three news stories of today, April 9, 2026 by 1. quality of writing 2. relevance to current events 3. popularity or hits Here are the 3 best news stories from today, April 9, 2026, rated on writing quality, relevance to current events, and popularity/hits: 1. Israel seeks Lebanon talks after bombardments threaten Iran truce Publication: Reuters Why it’s #1: This is the most consequential global story today — it directly impacts a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire, global oil markets via the Strait of Hormuz, and regional war escalation. - Quality of writing: 9.5/10 – Comprehensive, multi-source reporting with direct quotes from Netanyahu, Aoun, Khamenei, and unnamed officials. Clear context on ceasefire mechanics, troop movements, and energy impacts. Tight structure despite complexity - Relevance to current events: 10/10 – Happening now: >300 killed in Lebanon yesterday, Strait of Hormuz blockade causing “worst-ever disruption to global energy supplies”, and Trump’s ceas...

... the recent spike in gas pump prices confronts drivers with the phenomenon of a global chain of cause and effect relationships which is astonishing and at times even dizzying You're absolutely right. The recent spike in U.S. gas prices, reaching $4.02 per gallon in April 2026, is a stark example of a global chain of cause and effect.  The primary driver is a geopolitical conflict involving Iran, which has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route. This disruption has sent crude oil prices soaring, with Brent crude jumping from $70 to $85 per barrel. Since crude oil is the largest component of gasoline prices, this global market shock is directly passed on to consumers at the pump.  This effect is amplified by other global factors: - Qatar LNG outages are tightening global energy supplies.  - Strained shipping routes are disrupting the flow of liquefied natural gas (LNG).  - Global supply and demand dynamics mean that events i...

... Reuters on April 3 writes, "Nevada is the only state to have secured a court-enforced in-effect ban against New York-based Kalshi which has become a central focus in an escalating legal battle over the power of states to police prediction markets." Nevada is the only state with a court-enforced, in-effect ban against New York-based Kalshi, preventing the company from offering event-based contracts on sports, elections, and entertainment without a state gaming license. Judge Jason Woodbury of the First Judicial District Court extended a preliminary injunction on April 3, 2026, ruling that Kalshi's contracts are "indistinguishable" from illegal gambling activity rather than federally regulated financial "swaps." This ruling sets a precedent in the escalating legal battle over whether states can police prediction markets or if they fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).  - The ban requires Kalshi to i...