Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 13, 2025

Russia says it wants more babies. So why is it closing maternity wards?

Israeli Hostages Released

This question–why can’t we just solve our rare earths problem already!–comes up a lot. This is to explain, not defend, why we are where we are, and to offer recommendations.

Layoffs, a “coding error,” chaos: Trump admin ravages the health dept.

WHO warns of surging levels of antibiotic resistance

Alzheimer’s May Not Actually Be a Brain Disease

Amusing commentary on what it takes to be a writer.

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 12, 2025. The FT reported that the United States began providing Ukraine with the intelligence following US President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July 2025, as Trump grew increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unwillingness to move toward peace.

The week that shook France

Trump’s 100% tariff threat sparks defiance from Beijing

U.S. Coast Guard to Acquire 11 Icebreakers in Landmark U.S.-Finland Pact

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 11, 2025

Tomahawks For Ukraine Talk Elicits New Response From Putin

Massive 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Drake Passage Today

Two earthquakes hit the water off the southern coast of the Philippines back to back. At least seven fatalities have thus far been reported.

Beijing shattered a fragile trade truce with Washington this week, announcing sweeping restrictions on exports that contain even trace amounts of Chinese rare earth. An irate President Donald Trump is threatening to retaliate with 100 percent tariffs and new restrictions on exports of critical software — and said there’s “no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month.

France: Macron reappoints Sebastien Lecornu as PM. Just days after his resignation, Sebastien Lecornu is back in the position he had vacated. Lecornu said it was now time to “put an end to this political crisis” as he accepted Macron’s nomination.

Explosion at Tennessee Military Munitions Plant Kills and Injures Several, Others Missing

How close are we to solid state batteries for electric vehicles?

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 10, 2025

France already spends the largest share of national income on pensions in the whole Eurozone.

A Look into the Iberian Blackout

Why Are So Many Pedestrians Killed by Cars in the US?

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 9, 2025

How will the newly agreed-upon Gaza deal take shape over coming days?

As Trump Halts Venezuela Talks, Military Action Appears to Be on the Table

Republican Buys Dominion Voting Systems, Forces Them To Drop Lawsuits Against Conservatives

Surprise Trump Move Will Upend New York Food Stamps

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 8, 2025

Trump announces deal reached on first part of his Gaza plan: ‘All hostages will be freed very soon’

A high-stakes gamble Ukraine has successfully slowed Russia’s advance in central Donbas — but at the cost of its defenses elsewhere

This is a lot better then I thought it would be last year although in this case a lot better means that it is no worse then last year’s deficit was. Ironically, this happened not because spending was held down (spending rose 4%) but because Trump raised taxes (revenue rose 6%) in the form of tariffs. The federal budget deficit was $1.8 trillion in fiscal year 2025, CBO estimates, $8 billion less than the shortfall recorded during fiscal year 2024.

Gut Changes Persist Years After Stopping Certain Medications

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 7, 2025

As gaps widen along the front, Ukraine is reportedly struggling to hold back Russia’s advance

Russian Nuke Plant Latest To Suffer War-Inflicted Damage. The Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant was damaged in a string of incidents at four facilities in the region over the past two weeks.

From Africa to the Donbas Meat Grinder: Russia’s Mercenary Surge

Congress established the [340B] program in 1992 to help hospitals that disproportionately serve Medicaid and low-income patients. Such hospitals are allowed to buy outpatient drugs at steeply discounted rates, on average about 45% of a drug’s list price. (“Allowed to buy” means “drug companies are forced to sell to them” I believe.) Hospitals then charge insurers and Medicare a large mark-up on the drugs when their pharmacies administer them to patients, pocketing the difference.

Being Female is a Mental Illness

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 6, 2025

I don’t know that I would call 12 miles “deep” but it was a long way to go for a fiber optic drone. Russian Fiber-Optic Drones Are Now Reaching Into Ukrainian Cities Deep Behind The Lines

Long lines and empty pumps. Russia’s gasoline crisis in photos.
France’s new PM resigns after criticism of his Cabinet picks

MAID in Canada: Euthanasia Organ Harvesting ‘Surges’

The amount of money that flows through programs like Medicare and Social Security is mind-bogglingly large and dwarves the savings claimed by this year’s recissions actions and DOGE cuts. As a point of clarity, the supposed “cuts” to Medicaid that are part of the shutdown debate are not cuts at all but a slowdown in the rate of the growth in spending. Of the $6.9 trillion in spending from 2024, $912 billion went to Medicare and $1.5 trillion went to Social Security. Defense accounted for $872 billion while interest payments on the national debt exceeded our defense budget for the first time and topped $892 billion. Charts and more info at the link.

WaPo Admits Internal DC Police Scandal Over Manipulated Crime Stats

FBI: Jack Smith Tracked Eight GOP Senators During Trump Investigation

This Vitamin B3 Supplement Could Cut Your Skin Cancer Risk by up to 54%