Thursday, June 25, 2026

The Licensing Revolution: Windows Edition

Windows illustrates the growing reach of the surveillance and assertion of centralized software tools over supposedly personal devices.

Links 6/25/2026

Iran War: Omani Route Tests Iran Control of Strait of Hormuz as Rubio, GCC States Reject Iran Management; Iran Yet to Respond to Israel Ceasefire Violations, Intent to Stay in Lebanon; More Doubts About $300 Billion Fund

Today’s Iran war news: A showdown is coming soon if Iran sticks to its Memorandum of Understanding guns.

Satyajit Das: The ‘Own Goals’ of Trump-onomics

Short seller David Einhorn’s saying, “No matter how bad you think it is, it’s worse” particularly applies to Trump’s economic schemes.

Iran Challenges US Doctrine of Low-Intensity Warfare

How Iran’s success against the US and Israel exposed how the US is operating from a dangerously dated playbook.

Coffee Break: Mamdani Slate Sweeps Congressional Primaries in New York

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s slate of progressive congressional candidates swept the Democratic establishment aside in last night’s primaries, but some not so happy outcomes occurred in other races.

How Bad is AI for the Environment?

A tally of the great planetary damage expected to result from AI growing use, thanks to its insatiable hunger for power.

Links 6/24/2026

Iran War: US Doubles Down on Claim Iran Agreed to IAEA Inspections, Ballistic Missile Limits After Iran Denial; Dispute Over Food for Frozen Assets; Lebanon Ceasefire Holds as US Presents Withdrawal Plan; More on Looming Oil Cliff, Diesel and Lubricants Shortages

Today’s Iran war update: The big struggle is on the narrative front, as Iran swatted back JD Vance claims as the oil cliff keeps approaching.

Amid Iran Failures, Is the U.S. Finding More Success With Its Economic War on Iraq?

With few options, Baghdad is promising to rein in militias and pursue other oil export routes. Will any of it stick? 

After the US President Ordered the British Prime Minister Out of Office, What’s Left of the Anglo-American Special Relationship?

Why the Trump Administration is set to be able to push around incoming British Prime Minister Andy Burnham even more than with Kier Starmer.

Coffee Break: Armed Madhouse – Trust Destruction and Nuclear Roulette

Nuclear war is often discussed as a weapons problem. It is more accurately understood as a trust problem. As trust between adversaries deteriorates, relationships can move through a predictable sequence of rivalry, suspicion, distrust, hostility, and ultimately existential threat perception. Each stage generates evidence that justifies the next, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that expands the influence of what may be called the War Power ecosystem. In a world of nuclear-armed states, the cycle of trust destruction results in repeated games of nuclear roulette in which global catastrophe is at risk with each spin.

Links 6/23/2026

Good Riddance, Alan Greenspan

Cataloguing some of the less-well recognized ways that Alan Greenspan did tremendous harm to the financial system and citizens at large.

Iran War: Brief Update – JD Vance Acting in Bad Faith, Israel Stressed Even as It Doubles Down on Intent to Stay in Lebanon

Today’s Iran war news: Despite media cheerleading, JD Vance’s repeated displays of dishonesty do not bode well for getting the “deal” ‘done.