Wednesday, April 8, 2026

The Fight Over ‘Critical Minerals,’ Explained

How the US is playing dog-in-the-manger with critical minerals by disregarding WTO rules so as to stymie China.

Links 4/8/2026

Iran War: MSM Ceasefire Reporting Obscures Iran Agreeing to US Capitulation, Trump Depicting Different Deal; Israel Not a Party, States It Will Not Comply; Reason to Doubt Much Hormuz Traffic Increase Soon, Which Would Mean More Supply Pressure

Today’s Iran War news: why the much-ballyhooed Iran ceasefire is much less than it seems to be.

Notes on the American Justification for the Ramadan War in West Asia of 2026

Why is the United States at war with Iran in 2026?  Several excuses have been used by the current administration to justify the spiral of conflict and ratchet of escalation over the past five weeks.  These include but are probably not limited to: Iran exports terrorism across the globe. Iran is not a democracy and […]

Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?

What if anything you can do to prevent recording and AI transcriptions/summaries of doctor visits.

Coffee Break: Armed Madhouse – Running Dry in the Sky

U.S. global air power depends on aerial refueling, but the tanker fleet that sustains it is under growing strain. What appears sufficient on paper becomes fragile in practice, revealing a widening gap between strategic ambition and the physical limits of force projection.

The Fed, Congress, and the President: The Constitutional Authority to Make Money

The struggle over the Fed is a constitutional conflict: in a representative system, the power over money belongs to the legislature

Links 4/7/2026

Iran War: Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran in 4 Hours This Evening if No Capitulation; US/Israel Again Attack South Pars Gas Field

Today’s Iran war news: Trump has committed to a deadline and demands, which Iran is rejecting, Iran has vowed to match his threat of apocalyptic damage.

Claudia Sheinbaum’s Blitzkrieg War on Cash

Governments in Mexico have been trying to replace cash with digital payment alternatives for over a decade, and have largely failed. Until now…

As Rocket Launches Increase, They May Be Polluting the Skies

Research suggests that rocket exhaust and debris could be threatening the ozone layer, though uncertainties persist.

Coffee Break: Weak Links Oracle, OpenAI, UAE Are Hammered by Iran War

Weak links OpenAI, Oracle, and the UAE are strengthening their ties even as the Ramadan War exposes their increasing vulnerabilities.

Zero-Waste Community Kitchens Turn Scraps into Flavor-Packed Dishes

On community restaurants that practice and teach food sustainability through optimal cooking to reduce waste and improve health.

Links 4/6/2026

Iran War: Trump Makes Even More Unhinged Threat as Details of F-15 Pilot Rescue Point to Much Bigger Plan, Say to Seize Enriched Uranium; Trump Legitimacy Crisis Grows as Battered Gulf States Pull Back on US Investment, Particularly AI

Today’s Iran war news: Trump goes even more crazy as the F-15 rescue looks more like the tip of the iceberg of a big botched mission.