Even with a settlement in Ukraine and geopolitical thawing in the Arctic, the UK, Baltics and other refusniks can still cause trouble.
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Coffee Break: Across the Pond – Even the Best Laid EU Plans…
The EU plan to borrow €800 Billion for defense was rejected by the Dutch Parliament. In particular, they objected to the fact that the money will be borrowed by the EU and the more fiscally responsible countries (mainly in the northern states of the Union) would end up paying for it.
The Colorado Psychedelic Mushroom Experiment Has Arrived
Colorado joins Oregon in green-lighting the very much supervised use of psychecelic mushrooms.
Satyajit Das: DOGE – The Accelerant in American Decline
Republicans find DOGE’s actions are not universally popular. US courts have begun disallowing cancellation of contracts and terminations
When Will Courts Start Using Contempt Power To Stop Trump Administration Procedural and Constitutional Abuses?
I hate to put on my cynic’s hat, but I see a weird childlike faith in daddy figures behind the hope the the good daddy, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, will stop the mad bad dad Donald Trump. The other archetypal story line at work is the hero’s journey, with Roberts as the hero, […]
‘Quiet Panic’ as National Rental Assistance Program Set to Run Out of Cash
More “unsolvable” homelessness: A COVID-era emergency housing voucher is running out of cash — and there’s no plan to save it.
The Middle East Logistics Wars
The US pursues the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor while attempting to kill other logistics corridors involving China, Iran, and Russia.
The Little-Known ‘Supreme Court Justices’ Who Decide Your Electricity Rates
A few people in each state oversee where and how we get electricity. They’re called public utility commissioners.
Trump Trying to Retrade Minerals Deal with Ukraine
Trump engaging in more self-defeating behavior, assuming he really does want a Ukraine settlement with Russia.
Digital imperialism: How US Social Media Firms Are Using American Law to Challenge Global Tech Regulation
An update on the hard-fought battle between foreign states trying to regulate social media platforms and the broligarchs.
Coffee Break: End-of-the-Week Thoughts on Science and Other Matters Arising
Today’s Coffee Break: Scientific research on chronic and infectious disease in jeopardy; recent advances in evolutionary biology
Medicine Is Under-Politicised in the UK
A further discussion of how societal problems that impact medicine and health policy are largely kept out of political discourse.
