Saturday, August 8, 2026
Democrats’ Affordability Message Misses a Key Expense—Student Debt
For many, student debt payments are one of their biggest bills, so why have Dems left it out of their messaging?
Saudi Arabia’s $5 Oil Detour Is Expensive—and Worth It
Saudi Arabia’s new long route to Asia is viable economically, but how safe is it from further Ansar Allah escalation?
Coffee Break: Gene Editing Gone Wrong, Plants that Eat Animals, and a Neanderthal Gene that Makes a Difference
Part the First: If You Stretch Biomedical Science Too Far It Breaks, Every Time. Gene editing using CRISPR technology has made possible great leaps in biomedical science, and Emanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were rightly awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for it in 2020. The prospects for CRISPR in therapy for tractable genetic diseases […]
The Floods of the Future Won’t Come One at a Time
A dangerous collision of storm surge, torrential rain, and sea level rise threaten overwhelming floods, endangering large sections of the US
Iran War: Heads Explode Over Iran Draft Terms for Strait of Hormuz; Ansar Allah Strike on Saudi Forces, Killing Over 50
Today’s Iran war news: Iran’s draft to Parliament re operating the Strait gives new meaning to the word maximalist as Ansar Allah ramps up.
The Donroe Doctrine Just Went Fully Live
And if you blinked, you probably missed it.
Why “Albert Einstein’s ‘Why Socialism?’”?
On Einstein’s important essay “Why Socialism?” along with his considerable involvement in politics and some of his important initiatives.
The Ceuta Psyop Shows the Seams of the European Far Right
Far-right hysteria labeling the 70,000 border crossings an ‘invasion’ is part of the psyop—and it reveals the limits of their narrative.
Senate Dems Push GOP to Divulge Secret Plan to ‘Attack Earned Benefits Like Social Security’
Republican plans to gut, erm, “reform” Social Security must be brutal since they insist on hiding them till after the midterms.
Iran War: Iran Agreement With Oman Will Not “Open” Strait of Hormuz as Trump Hypes Non-Existent Talks; Ansar Allah Threatens Red Sea Escalation; Trump-Hegseth Row Over Weapons Shortages
Today’s Iran War news: Over-selling of Iran-Oman Hormuz pact as US arms shortages lead to doctrine change: liberal use of tactical nukes
Trade Liberalization Never Lifted All Boats
While selective trade liberalization has benefited powerful corporate interests and some others, most have lost out.
Science, Religion, and Political Omens: The Meaning of Eclipses in Ancient Rome
Eclipses have long caused fear and wonder, and became focuses for divination.
