Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 19, 2025

Volcanic Activity Continues at Iceland’s Fissure Volcano with New Eruption Following Earthquake Swarm

Mexico’s total fertility rate (TFR) in 2023 was 1.60, lower than the U.S. rate of 1.62.

Young men with a college degree now have the same unemployment rate as young men who didn’t go to college, completely erasing the graduate employment premium. Whereas a healthy premium remains for young women.

New York State agency overtime costs increased 10.2% in 2024 for a total of $1.3 billion, while the number of overtime hours increased by 7.8%, or 1.8 million hours higher than the previous year

Exhausted man defeats AI model in world coding championship

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 18, 2025

Dead relatives and looted homes: Syria’s Druze reel as dust settles from bloodshed

US Strikes Destroyed Only One Of Three Iranian Nuclear Sites: Intel Assessment

Mysterious wave of explosions, sudden IRGC death disrupt post-ceasefire calm in Iran

Huckabee threatens to declare Israel does not welcome Christians, as visa row blows open

In a departure from his usual role as a de facto PR agent for the State of Israel, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned West Bank settlers’ “terrorist” murder of a Florida-born-and-raised American citizen

The yield on 30-year Japanese government bonds surged to a record 3.2% on Tuesday, and the yield on 20-year Japanese government bonds hit their highest level since November 1999.

France’s budget bombshell is a wake-up call for Europe as it veers toward bankruptcy

German birth rate falls to lowest point in almost 20 years

America’s Debt Situation Will Soon Be Worse Than Right After World War II

Injecting Manhood: The Millennial Obsession with Testosterone

Trump Says He’ll Sue Wall Street Journal Over Story on Alleged Epstein Letter

The Fall of Hezbollah

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 17, 2025

While the U.S. and NATO allies are working to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot batteries, there aren’t enough for everyone who ordered them.

After Massacre of Syrian Druze, Netanyahu Tells Al-Sharaa Regime to Demilitarize Area Near Israeli Border

And Just Like That, 16-Year-Olds Can Vote in the Next British General Election.

Going fuzzy: NY drops exams for ‘portrait of a graduate’

People Are Being Involuntarily Committed, Jailed After Spiraling Into “ChatGPT Psychosis”

Witchcraft and spellwork have become an online cottage industry. Faced with economic uncertainty and vapid dating apps, some people are putting their beliefs—and disposable income—into love spells, career charms and spirit cleansers.

Senate votes to kill entire public broadcasting budget in blow to NPR and PBS

Why Is Cutting 0.1% of the $6.75 Trillion Federal Budget So Hard?

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 16, 2025

Israel Strikes At The Heart Of Syria’s Military Command In Dramatic Escalation

Yemeni Forces Seize Record Iranian Arms Shipment Bound for Houthis

USAF Denies It Refueled Israel’s Fighters During War With Iran

Air India crash probe focuses on actions of plane’s captain, Wall Street Journal reports

Major Earthquake Rocks Alaska’s Coast; Region Placed Under a Tsunami Advisory

VP Vance Breaks Tie To Advance “DOGE” Rescissions Bill Toward Final Senate Vote

Links For Yesterday

I forgot to his publish yesterday. I was doing so well too….

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 15, 2025

Ukraine Situation Report: The U.S. will not give Kyiv new advanced long-range weapons to attack Russia as hopes of a peace deal disintegrate.

CNN team allegedly ambushed by West Bank settlers amid spiraling extremist violence

Sweden’s government probe suggested raising the age that former military officers could be recalled to active duty to 70, from the current 47.

‘It’s not safe’: Two killed as flash floods hit NYC, New Jersey amid summer storm chaos

Guys from big family get sick of Comcast and so create their own ISP.

Why America’s Street Lights Are Turning Purple

A classical drive: Road rumble strips play Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in UAE emirate of Fujairah

Insects listen in on plants ‘talking’

Higher anticholinergic use linked to faster decline in mobility and strength

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 14, 2025

Trump Announces Deal To Send More Patriot Air Defense Batteries To Ukraine

No births, no deaths, no data Russia is pulling demographic stats from public view. What’s the Kremlin trying to hide?

It’s hunting season in orbit as Russia’s killer satellites mystify skywatchers

I am skeptical of some of the comparisons to the mother country. I don’t think Hindu nationalists would be as powerful and Christians as big as of target if the mother country was as relaxed in comparison as he say. But when India is a billion people so I am sure their are urban pockets that make him say the things he says without necessarily being true of the entire country. The Diaspora Paradox

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 13, 2025

Italy and Greece sound the alarm over Libya. But allies aren’t rushing to help.

Colombia Is At The Heart Of a Record-Breaking Global Cocaine Boom

Samsung’s New Phones Show How Far Ahead China Is on Innovation

Japan steps up earthquake, tsunami defenses amid quake swarm. Experts say earthquake swarms have been recorded in the area before, but never of such magnitude or for such an extended period of time.

One really has to wonder what is going on along the West Coast, at least geologically. First, there has been a notable swarm of earthquakes around Washington’s iconic Mount Rainier volcano. Now a swarm is shaking the Salton Sea area of Southern California.

How to Dress and Undress your Home

Bird flu found to evolve rapidly, infecting more hosts and finding ways to spread more effectively

Caltech’s New Smart Pill Can Read Your Gut Like Never Before

Links for Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 12, 2025

Trump to invoke presidential authority to send military aid to Ukraine

Death Toll In Texas Floods Reaches 119 As Search Crews Race Against Time

Stop Blaming The US For Measles. Public health officials are leaning into a “Blame America First” rhetorical strategy, implying doom and panic while ignoring the reality of the 2025 measles situation.

The First in 30 Years: Scientists Discover New Class of Antibiotics

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 11, 2025

The Russian potato shortage that shows Putin’s economy is on the brink

Japan’s Yoroi Reactor Ushers In a New Era of Micro-Nuclear Power

California residents who launched fireworks for the 4th of July have tickets coming in the mail, thanks to police drones that were taking note. One resident, for example, racked up $100,000 in fines last summer due to the illegal use of fireworks. “If you think you got away with it, you probably didn’t,” said Sacramento Fire Department Captain Justin Sylvia. “What may have been a $1,000 fine for one occurrence last year could now be $30,000 because you lit off so many.” Homeowners who weren’t even present at the property also have tickets coming in the mail due to the social host ordinance.

One thing missing from a lot of the reporting on State Dept cuts is that this will bring total hires back to the level of 2020, which itself was a peak level.

Older Adults Outnumber Children In More US States, Median Age Hits New High

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino weighs quitting over Trump admin handling of Jeffrey Epstein ‘client list’

Response Rates in Psychiatric Drug Trials Are Statistical Nonsense

When Google detected problems with aging Pixel 4a batteries, it didn’t take any chances. It decided to degrade the experience on the remaining Pixel 4a units out there, even if the lower capacity and slower charging upset users.

Swarm of Hundreds of Small Earthquakes Shakes Washington’s Iconic Mt. Rainier. Cascades Volcanic Observatory indicates there is no evidence suggesting that the swarm is heralding a potential eruption.

Links For Today

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 10, 2025

Israel Destroys Hezbollah’s Terrorist Buildup in ‘Rare’ Southern Lebanon Raids

A Daring Escape from China to the U.S. via the Darién Gap

Middle East fertility slump: Fewer babies, big problems?

Cocoa Supply Crunch Shown In One Chart

The Big Four Just Became Five: Walmart Quietly Captures the Beef Chain

New York is staring down billions in lost federal funding for Medicaid and food assistance over the next decade

The problem with Trump’s plan to tax copper is that the U.S. isn’t self-sufficient in copper

“Most Significant Seismicity Since 2009”: Quake Swarm Detected At Washington’s Mt. Rainier

AI-Enabled Trash Trucks Will Scan Your Trash To Scold You About Recycling

Verizon’s request to lock phones supported by police, opposed by users