Saturday, November 22, 2025

Washington and Tel Aviv Accuse Iran of Planning to Assassinate Israeli Ambassador in Mexico Without Presenting a Shred of Truth

Here’s the kicker: according to the Mexican government, there are no official reports of any such attack.

Shutdown Has Highlighted Washington’s Retreat From Big Ideas on Health Care

Health care in the US has become too big to fix.

Who Will End Up Paying for the AI Spending Spree?

AI is now so clearly a money burn pit that efforts are already underway to fob the losses off on taxpayers. Is there any way to head it off?

Coffee Break: Mamdani’s Battle With Entrenched Power Begins

New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani won the election, but now his real battle with entrenched power begins.

Russia’s Choices as It Brings Ukraine to the Brink with Electricity War, Takes Pokrovsk

Even with Russia’s domination undeniable as its electricity attacks turn off power all over Ukraine, Russia still has complex choices to make.

Links 11/10/2025

The E.U. ‘Derisks’ Itself Into Another Disaster

Despite years of supposed preparation, the bloc is now scrambling for rare earths. Will the US have any more success?

Book Excerpt: How Coyotes Found a New Homeland in the East

The explosion of populations east of the Mississippi was made possible by logging and the slaughter of wolves.

Military Moral Injury, Violence, and the Parable of the Guinea Worm

The casual US celebration of violence runs into the reality that those required to inflict it regularly suffer deep inner damage.

Links 11/9/2025

The Sunday Morning Movie Presents: The Confessions of Felix Krull (1958) Run Time: 1H 46M

The Confessions of Felix Krull is a movie about a charming, kind hearted scam artist and his adventures.

What Can Europe Learn From China’s Critical-Tech Innovation Push?

China’s rise in frontier technologies narrows its gap with the US as Europe struggles with slow replication and fragmented research.

Links 11/8/2025

Always Watching: How ICE’s Plan to Monitor Social Media 24/7 Threatens Privacy and Civic Participation

How ICE plans even more sweeping surveillance of social media sites.

Another Shutdown Cost: Skewed and Limited Private Data as Economic Hazard

Due to the shutdown, official economic data has slowed to a crawl. Policymakers, markets, and citizens are turning to private-sector numbers.