Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 24, 2026

Inside Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi That Sees Its Troops Gaining Ground In The East

Macron says France sees signs Russia is preparing to mobilize 300,000 more men

Saudi Aramco Rapidly Deploys Bypass for Damaged East-West Pipeline

France Sending Forces To Help Defend Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Oil Facilities

If nothing else, this shows that even bad fiction will become real at some point. This is like something out of a comic book. China Appears To Be Building A Mothership For Large Uncrewed Submarines

Some claims making the rounds on social media start with an observation that is basically correct: crude oil was more expensive after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 than it is today, yet diesel prices are now higher. The conclusion often attached to that comparison is that refiners must be gouging consumers. It sounds plausible because crude oil is the main raw material used to make diesel. But it leaves out the critical part of the market that has become the real bottleneck: refining.

Intel Warns Russia Could Attack NATO Within Months

Seems crazy to me, but then I thought the same thing when talk was first going around about Russia invading Ukraine. The main thing to know is that this has gone beyond some crank saying something to some tabloid and it be blasted all over the place as “sources say something outrageous to get us views”. This is multiple high level politicians across multiple countries saying this publicly. That said, what they are talking about is not full scale invasion but even with caveat, these things can so easily get out of hand when they start.

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 23, 2026

Newsweek’s Polish edition: CIA warned Poland that Russia could damage undersea cables between Europe and the U.S.

FBI rushes to investigate if ShinyHunters hack of thousands of employees is real

Hochul abruptly fires New York’s top IT boss as reasons for the axing remain a mystery

Discord age verification rolls out today with changes spurred by user backlash

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 21, 2026

Alarm Bells Ring Across Europe As Security Situation With Russia Deteriorates At Accelerating Pace

Nvidia’s free AI model could push the UAE closer to the U.S.

U.S. gasoline and diesel remain broadly available, but record prices and isolated diesel outages are raising concern about future supply.

The short version under the new law, to buy any gun requires a permit. As I understand it, it does not apply to guns already bought but you can’t sell them or give them to family without a permit. If you think you might want a gun someday, it is probably better to get one sooner or later if you live in a state that thinks like Washington state. Washington’s new gun permit system moves ahead as one sheriff calls law ‘insane’

Washington Supreme Court strikes down voter-approved natural gas initiative

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 19, 2026

More LNG Getting Through Hormuz as Producers Push for Transits

Europe Outbids Asia for LNG as Prices Surge 150%. Europe has little choice but to keep buying expensive LNG, setting up another bidding contest with Asia and raising the risk of even higher winter gas prices.

UK Energy Bills Could Jump 25-30% From January as Gas Prices Soar

Bank of Japan raises rates to 31-year high of 1.25% as inflation rises

I stupidly wrote most of this out before checking the number. When I did, I nearly deleted his post, and wrote instead “Who is worrying about this tiny drop in the ocean and why?” The media seem enthralled with artificial catastrophism. Still, the nature of the event is worth comment even if the magnitude is so far small, since everyone is looking, and maybe the next one won’t be so small.