EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen is (finally) in some trouble. How much of a sweat does she need to break to survive?
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Coffee Break: Armed Madhouse – The Stab in the Back
As the war in Ukraine moves toward an ugly conclusion unfavorable to the U.S., I anticipate the appearance of a common propaganda phenomenon following lost wars: the stab in the back. This is a propaganda tactic in which military defeat is attributed to domestic treachery undermining the heroic efforts of the military. The bellicose elements […]
Will Russia Greatly Accelerate Its Ukraine Tempo to Facilitate Responding to Turkiye-Azerbaijan Threat to Iran?
Will Azerbaijan turning against Russia, perhaps supporting an attack on Iran, force Russia to move faster than it might otherwise in Ukraine?
Four Reasons Why the Tony Blair Institute’s Involvement in “Gaza Riviera” Project Should Surprise No One
The war in Gaza has “created a once-in-a-century opportunity to rebuild Gaza from first principles . . . as a secure, modern prosperous society.”
AI, Antitrust & Privacy: When More Competition Makes Things Worse
Increased AI competition worsens surveillance, manipulation, and disinformation—threatening privacy, autonomy, and democracy.
Centuries-Long History of Russophobia Opens the Doors to Cold War 2.0
How Russophobia has been long in the making and continued to color international relations.
Coffee Break: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg Loves To Throw Good Money After Bad
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is upping the ante in the AI business, triggering a bidding war for talent and he’s willing to poach from competitors.
Hurricane Helene Set Up Future Disasters, From Landslides to Flooding – Cascading Hazards Like These Are Now Upending Risk Models
Cascading hazards occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards—and they are increasing.
Chaos in the Caucasus: Türkiye and Azerbaijan Make Their US-Israel-Backed Move Against Russia and Iran
U.S. officials say involvement of Russia and Iran in their own backyard of the South Caucasus is “unstable and undesirable.”
Trump’s Self-Destructive Fight with the Fed for Low Interest Rates: His “Fiscal Dominance” Game of Chicken
Trump is fighting another war he can’t win: trying to use interest rates to counter the inflation created by his yawning fiscal deficits.
The UK Aims to Entrench Its Influence in Estonia in Order to Lead the Arctic-Baltic Front
The UK’s clever scheme to enlist rabid chihuahua Estonia to harass Russia in the Baltic theater.
The Sunday Morning Movie Presents: The Night Strangler (1973) Run Time: 1H 30M2
The Night Strangler is a movie about an investigative reporter hot on the trail of an immortal killer in Seattle.
