Author Archives: Conor Gallagher

As Alberta Separatists Court the U.S., Prosperity Is Fuelling a Sovereigntist Turn

Dreams of oil‑funded prosperity In Alberta clash with Canada’s Constitution and the realities of a warming world.

Links 2/16/2026

Will Russia and Iran Be Forced to ‘Restore Order’ in the Caucasus?

Moscow and Tehran hold economic upper hand in the region, but current ruling groups in both Armenia and Azerbaijan are no longer responding to rational and mutual national interests.

Trump’s DHS Is Pushing the Boundaries of Probable Cause and Due Process to Fuel a Farm Labor Crisis

Agricultural employers are scrambling to find replacements and the administration is turning to guest workers.

Links 2/13/2026

Links 2/12/2026

Links 2/9/2026

An Iranian Architecture Appreciation Post

Sanctions have spurred “creative destruction” in Iran where brickwork draws on the past to create shade, natural light, and ventilation.

An Effort to Ease Water Pollution With Oysters Fizzled. Why?

A Maryland program that lets oyster farmers capitalize off the environmental benefits of the bivalves had few takers.

With ICE Using Medicaid Data, Hospitals and States Are in a Bind Over Warning Immigrant Patients

ICE access to Medicaid data is forcing hospitals and states to consider alerting immigrant patients that information from emergency medical coverage applications could be used in efforts to remove them from the country.

Links 2/6/2026

Links 2/5/2026

Türkiye Plays Peacemaker But Has Central Role in Iran Encirclement

While Trump’s “armada” gets the attention, Türkiye plays major role in bringing hostile actors to Iran’s borders.

Links 2/2/2026

The US of AI: How Energy Laws and Oversight Are Being Trashed to Benefit the Broligarchy

Billionaire tech libertarians have long sought “freedom cities” free from government oversight. It increasingly looks like they’re going to get a “freedom country” instead.