Texas Sheriff Torches Kamala Over Fox News Interview Immigration Comments [WATCH]

Major Lawsuit Filed Against Biden Admin Over Allegedly Blocking Noncitizen Voter Checks

China, Chile, and New Zealand are a few places that have historic mummies of their own.

Donald Trump’s constant discussion of tariffs has generated a trove of commentary on their (generally bad) economic and geopolitical implications, including here at Capitolism. Far less discussed, however, is whether a future President Trump—or any other White House occupant with a similar affinity for 19th-century U.S. trade policy—actually could implement a global tariff wall without any input or approval from Congress or any significant pushback from federal courts....

Tobacco product use among middle and high school students has dropped to a 25-year low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday. The CDC and FDA recorded data on youth tobacco product use through the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which found that 2.25 million middle and high school students reported they had used any tobacco product in the last 30 days, down from 2.8 million in 2023.

Why It’s Critical to Engage Students on Political and Social Issues Educators are experiencing the direct impact of polarization in their classrooms, including receiving memos prohibiting the discussion of political topics with both students and staff. Additionally, a study from RAND this year found that two-thirds of teachers across the nation are choosing to limit political and social issues in class, and that “regardless of the presence or type of restriction, teachers said that they...

Small talk makes many people uncomfortable. In fact, a 2023 poll found that 71% of Americans would rather sit in silence than chat about the weather, sports, or if the bus is on time with someone they don’t know very well.A big reason people don’t like small talk is that they think it’s meaningless and boring. However, Julia Korn, a leadership and development writer at Forbes, says it’s important because it enables us to find common ground and shared interests, build muscles to overcome social discomfort, and lay the groundwork for transitioning into more serious, deeper topics.Studies show that people feel a greater sense of belonging and happiness if they exchange a few pleasant words with the barista when buying a coffee.A funny video on TikTok with over 1.2 million views shows how small talk can be a challenge for some people—even those who are happy to talk with a stranger. Lizzy, known as @lizelleperaza on the platform, filmed herself interacting with someone walking their dog in a park. @lizelleperaza Proof my small talk game is as unpredictable as the weather. At keast the dog didn’t judge me… I think #awkward #adhd #autistic #weathertalk #awkwardbuttrue #lgbtq #cringe #morningreflections "It's warm out here today!" someone could be heard saying off-camera, and Lizzy enthusiastically responded with a lot of information for a brief encounter. "Yes, I was wearing a sweatshirt yesterday when I went out, and today I had to take it off right away when I got outside," she said. After realizing she could have just said, “Sure is!” she turned back and gave an embarrassing look at the camera.“Proof my small talk game is as unpredictable as the weather. At least the dog didn’t judge me… I think,” Lizzy captioned the video.The great thing about the moment of embarrassment was that so many people who watched it could relate. “Several years ago, someone said ‘You have pretty teeth” and I said “Thanks, I floss every day,” and I think about that moment often,” Cattie wrote. “When you're halfway through the reply and you already know you messed up, but you can't stop mid-sentence, cause that would be more weird,” Brianne added.Shanny knew precisely what was happening in Lizzy’s head: “She caught you off guard with a question you hadn't previously mentally scripted and then you panicked,” she wrote.Keeks had a good point. Sometimes, a short answer to a small talk question isn’t enough and makes everyone uncomfortable. “I'm the opposite. I say the ‘sure is’ and rethink that interaction all day, feeling like I missed out on human connection,” they wrote.How to stop oversharingIf you watched Lizzy’s TikTok video and could relate to it because you have an oversharing problem, Krista Brown has a great tip she shared at The Science of People that could help you reveal the right amount of information next time you make small talk. She says to slow down before you speak.“Take a breath before answering a question or jumping into a story,” Brown writes. “Think to yourself, ‘Is what I’m about to share relevant, interesting, or helpful to the person I’m speaking with.’”Ultimately, Lizzy’s interaction with the dog walker may have been awkward for her, but that one-on-one interaction wound up helping a lot of people. It was a great example of the awkwardness we all feel when forced to respond to someone out of nowhere. Lizzy may have wanted to disappear after her response, but the moment made many people feel seen.