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A Review and Reflection on R.R. Reno’s Strong Gods.

Henry Castaigne
@HenryCastaigne
Writing from a century or even half a century ago contrasts starkly with writing today. Basically a bookish guy would soak in his tub and think, “I’m going to write about the entire history of art in Western Civilization. That sounds fun.” At the opposite end of the spectrum, contemporary writing concentrates on one very narrow topic, filled with citations and academic gobblygook. Modern books are often boring and purposely obtuse.
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Latest podcast episodes

Conservative Crossroads with Henry Olsen
Conservative Crossroads with Henry Olsen

War on the Right and Fusionism

How can conservatives - who are dividing themselves into warring tribes - reunite and in fact fuse themselves to defeat the Left? Stephanie Slade, from Reason magazine and author of Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right, argues that liberty is the primary principle that conservatives should unite around. Dan McCarthy of the Heritage Foundation argues that sovereignty is the position that conservatives should fuse around, as is our normal practice.

Hosted by Henry Olsen, with guests Daniel McCarthy and SSStephanie Slade

Organization:
Ethics and Public Policy Center
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The Learning Curve
The Learning Curve

Leslie Klinger on Bram Stoker, Dracula, & Halloween

This week, on a Halloween edition of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Prof. Albert Cheng of The Ohio State University speak with Leslie Klinger, the definitive annotator of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Klinger explains why Count Dracula remains an enduring figure and offers a portrait of Stoker, the Irish writer and theater manager whose imagination powerfully shaped classic horror fiction. He traces the history of vampire lore and the late nineteenth-century European context from which Dracula emerged. Klinger examines Stoker’s inventive epistolary structure, told through journals, letters, a ship’s log, and newspaper clippings. He analyzes the novel’s main characters, from Jonathan and Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra and the Count himself. Klinger also discusses Dracula’s themes of Victorian morality, psychological terror, faith, modern knowledge, science, and ancient evil. He considers why nineteenth-century Gothic fiction continues to captivate readers and shape horror storytelling worldwide. In closing, Klinger reads a passage from Dracula.
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Is It Just Easier to Go Left?

Old Bathos
@OldBathos
Ricochet member @ctlaw posted a link to this thought-provoking video in the Ricochet Film Society group section. The issue addressed was why so many great TV shows or successful movie franchises suddenly become flat and preachy, reduced to delivering the same sorts of lefty messages. The author of the video makes the not unreasonable inference that this is an intentional process, a planned bait-and-switch to lure an otherwise centrist, conservative or libertarian audience into propaganda sessions.
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The Conservative Woman’s Guide
The Conservative Woman’s Guide

Isabel Brown: The Corporate Ladder, the Baby Carriage, and the American Dream

Gen Z is increasingly questioning whether climbing the corporate ladder is worth sacrificing the opportunity to build a family along the way. As young women rethink the allure of the glittery corner office, traditional career expectations, and whether they can afford to start families, Daily Wire host and cultural commentator Isabel Brown joins Karin Lips to challenge the idea that professional success must come at the expense of marriage and motherhood. Karin and Isabel discuss why Gen Z is rejecting conventional definitions of success, the growing divide between the girlboss and tradwife movements, and how young women can pursue meaningful careers without sacrificing motherhood. Isabel pushes back against anti-motherhood messaging and the notion that having children is financially out of reach. Reflecting on her own unconventional journey from aspiring surgeon to conservative commentator, she shares how the mentorship of Charlie Kirk helped her discover a new calling and why young women shouldn't be afraid to forge their own paths. Join our community: https://enlightenedwomen.org/ Follow NeW on Instagram: @enlightenedwomen Follow NeW on X: @NeWNetwork Follow Karin Lips on Instagram: @karin.lips Follow Karin Lips on X: @klips
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The American Idea
The American Idea

Whom Can the President Fire? The Controversy Over the Removal Authority

It might seem like a topic deep in the constitutional or legal weeds, but the president’s authority to fire federal officials has been controversial since the first Washington administration, and still matters today. Given the vast expansion of the scope and power of the Executive branch, a president’s power to fire officials in various agencies is a policy and enforcement tool - or a check on presidential power. Jeff is joined by Professor of Political Science Joseph Griffith to discuss the background and constitutional and legal dimensions of this important issue that often goes overlooked. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/
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The Observatory: Old Battle Axe Edition

Juliana
@Juliana
A few weeks ago I read a post on Substack. (I cannot find it now, of course...) It was from a self-identified old lady—she said she was over 70—who was incensed that she would be called 'young lady' or asked if she needed help with things out in public that she was perfectly capable of doing. She seemed to be particularly outraged by being treated kindly because she was obviously old. After all, she was physically and mentally able to manage her errands on her own! She even kept handy some snappy comebacks.
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Not Dead Yet
Not Dead Yet

Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada joins the guys to talk about a lifetime of faith, suffering, service, and choosing to find joy. How do you build the habit of gratitude? How can we better welcome families living with disabilities? How can we be anti-fragile and compassionate? Why is it important to serve our neighbors even when we’re going through the thick of it ourselves? Plus, Ben and Chris are bad painters and completely out of excuses to complain.

Hosted by BSBen Sasse and CSChris Stirewalt

Organization:
American Enterprise Institute
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Banana Republic Status Confirmed

Nanocelt TheContrarian
@NanoceltTheContrarian
Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva won another election in Brazil. It does appear that he cheated. He may not have needed to cheat to win, but cheat he did. Can't have a banana republic if you don't cheat in elections. How'd he do it? He complained that there were not enough buses deployed to ferry his constituents to the polls in the Northeast of Brazil (Bahia), Lula's stronghold due to its poverty relative to the rest of Brazil (Northeast Brazil at one time in the 16th century).
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Early Voting in Alaska

Al Sparks
@AlSparks
I cast an early vote in Alaska, and I had to be careful with the senatorial vote. As many know, there are two Dan Sullivans on the ballot. To make sure I didn't vote for the wrong one, I viewed a mock ballot before I went to the polling place. When I actually voted, I "measured twice, cut once." I'm pretty certain there will be voters who vote for the Dan Sullivan they don't want to vote for. While this isn't on the ballot (yet?), there is a movement to make it harder to get on the ballot for state and local elections. Unlike many other states, to get on the ballot, all you have to do is go to an election clerk and sign up. Many want to require a minimum number of signatures on a petition to qualify. At the moment, they want to give the legislature a chance to do this before going the referendum route.
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Acknowledging the Passage of Time

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
No, this is not a post about Kamala Harris or her word salads. In fact, it is a poignant reflection on the aging process that my husband and I are experiencing, along with the gifts of our encounters on our recent vacation. We experienced a kind of acknowledgement of our maturity, of the years that have passed, and gained a sense of the limited time we have ahead of us. It was both surprising, touching, and enlightening.
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Who Funds that?
Who Funds that?

Who Funds That? EP 28: The Mysterious Donors Behind the Third Worldist Left

Seemingly out of nowhere, the motivating energy on America’s political left switched from traditional social-democratic economics—think socialized health care—or from the usual libertine sexual drives that have motivated left-of-center activists to the question of Palestinian nationalism as part of a broader anti-Westernism, an ideology often called “Third Worldism.” While much of the motivation is the usual swings of events and the Eye of Sauron of Everything Leftism, there is real money behind this rising faction of the progressive movement. Joining us to discuss the mysterious donors behind the rise of the Third Worldist left is our colleague Shane Devine. Links: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/the-crew-of-virtually-unknown-donors-powering-the-rise-of-the-new-left-191fcc85. https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/american-priorities/ https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/new-yorkers-for-lower-costs/ https://www.influencewatch.org/for-profit/applovin/
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Lightening Bolts

Andrew Miller
@AndrewMiller
‘Neck bolts, why does it always come back to neck bolts?’ This is not a statement you like to hear anyone make, not in an ideal world. Muttered by an attractive young lady in a darkened laboratory, it maintains a certain disconcerting quality. Add in the traditional mad scientist’s paraphernalia, up to and including the obligatory man-sized table and lightning rod arrangement, and it becomes almost definitely spooky. A fact of which Doctor “Frankie” Stine was only too well aware. ‘Iggy,’ she called, ‘where is that fluid?’
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Hillsdale Dialogues
Hillsdale Dialogues

The 2026 Midterms

This week: The 2026 International Churchill Society conference, the rise of democratic socialism, and the 2026 Midterms. Dr. Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues.

Hosted by Hugh Hewitt, with guest DLDr. Larry Arnn

Organization:
Hillsdale College
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Hello from Utah!

Shauna Hunt
@ShaunaHunt
I just wanted to say hello to all of you! It's been a long time. I have been writing a Substack newsletter called Sunshine in My Soul for three years. I'd like to thank Ricochet for helping me get over my writing fears. There, I try to write and share interesting and uplifting stories, music, art, etc. My daughter, Rachel, got married in August of 2025. Baby Elizabeth came on June 3, 2026. We are grandparents and love it! She is a wonderful mother.
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France Getting Education From Students

Greg Strange
@GregStrange
After a weekend of nationwide mayhem, life in France has been calmer for a few days. You see, after weeks of so-called protests and unmistakable rioting, the likes of which the country may have never seen before, French authorities suddenly had a eureka moment: Curfew! We can impose curfews where needed, and that could help quell the riots! Sacré bleu! What a revelation. It’s made perfect by the fact that the word “curfew” comes from the medieval Anglo-French coverfeu, meaning “cover the fire.” And beaucoup fires there have been.
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Who Controls Men’s Wardrobes?

Full Size Tabby
@FullSizeTabby
I am increasingly discovering that were it not for wives, many men would be walking fashion disasters. When my son was in high school (early ‘aughts), he would amusingly report on occasion that in homeroom class, the girls (it was always the girls in class - never the boys) would ask the very popular, very young, very male, very conspicuously married teacher, “Your wife didn’t see you before you left the house this morning, did she?” The teacher’s response: “No. Why do you ask?”
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Doing the Right Thing Comes with a Price

Doug Watt
@DougWatt
The Silver Rail School shooting in Bend, Oregon ended after the father of two students shot the shooter. The shooter was 16 years old and a former special needs student who attended the school. The armed civilian responsible for killing the perpetrator and ending the attack was identified as Kaylub Giamanco, originally of Placerville, California, a 36-year-old carpenter and a father of two students at Silver Rail Elementary. Kaylub has a concealed firearms license in Oregon. My prediction is that Kaylub will not undergo a grand jury investigation into his actions on that day. The FBI is looking into the history of the 16-year-old shooter and his ownership and possession of a 12-gauge shotgun.
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Evidence of a Blue Wave? Maybe the opposite.

BastiatJunior
@BastiatJunior
John Hinderaker posted an article on Powerline Blog showing that people trust Democrats on crime more than they trust Republicans. Here's a link. Evidence of a Blue Wave. With an electorate like that, how could Republicans win? Maybe the crazy poll result is revealing something different. Maybe it shows that Republicans really are being undercounted, and not by a small amount. People can't have changed that much.
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3 Whisky Happy Hour
3 Whisky Happy Hour

Knowledge or Not, Here We Come

This week's delayed episode is a throwback to the old days, with just Steve and Lucretia in attendance because travel schedules disrupted all three of the 3WHH bartenders. So the original dynamic duo just kick around some news highlights of the week and offer a couple book recommendations. Is "not to my knowledge" Ilhan Omar's version of Bill Clinton's "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" (IF "Ilhan Omar" is her real name)? This appears to be one of those cases where the media's favorite mistaken cliché about Trump—"the walls are closing in"—appears to apply. And what's up with the polls? Hard to tell, even from the real ones, let alone the fake ones and the media's psyop that is trying to suppress Republican turnout. It's all very weird. Finally, Lucretia and Steve share two books currently on the top of their reading pile. Lucretia is reading Raymond Ibrahim's Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam, while Steve recommends Rupert Darwall's The Age of Error and the West's Undoing, just from our friends at Encounter Books.
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A Day That Will Live in Ignominy

Nanocelt TheContrarian
@NanoceltTheContrarian
October 23 was the 43rd anniversary of the Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon in 1983. Two hundred forty-one American servicemen died in that bombing, carried out by Iranian proxies that would form the nucleus of what became Hezbollah. That was the greatest number of American servicemen to die in a single day since Iwo Jima. I perused the media for comments on this and found none. The Marine Corps posted an homage to the sacrifice of those Marines. There seems to be a general amnesia of that event, though. How soon we forget.
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The Marine in the Maquis

Seawriter
@Seawriter
In early 1944, the Massif du Vercors, isolated by high mountains, offered a refuge to the maquis sabotaging the Germans. Among their boldest leaders was a man who fought in a US Marine Corps uniform. He became known as Le Fantôme – the phantom. “The Phantom: The Untold Story of the American Marine the Nazis Could Not Kill,” by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, tells the story of Pierre “Peter” Ortiz, a Marine and OSS agent who served as a soldier, spy, scout, saboteur and French Resistance leader in the heart of Nazi-occupied France.
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The Observatory: Oh My Stars Edition

Juliana
@Juliana
The One who established the earth for all time, He who dismisses the light, and it departs, calls it, and it obeys Him trembling; before whom the stars at their posts, shine and rejoice; when He calls them they answer "Here we are!" shining with joy for their Master. ~ Baruch 3:32-34 Even though we may be surrounded by evil and stupidity, and we may believe all humanity is lost, there are reasons to rejoice. Humans can take pictures of the universe. Sometimes you just need to remember to be filled with awe. Enjoy. All photos are from nasa.gov.
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Quote of the Day - The Weak and The Strong

Seawriter
@Seawriter
The weak grow strong by effrontery. The strong grow weak through inhibition. - Henry Kissinger This quote sums up what is happening in France in one sentence. The rioters are weak, France's underclass, those who do not fit into French society. Yet they act as though they are the powerful. That they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they want. So far, they have proved right. No one is stopping them. That is the flip side of the quote.
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