Part the First: The War in West Asia Viewed from East Asia. The daily updates compiled here have been essential for cutting through the fog of war associated with the current War in West Asia. Many people have marveled at the sheer stupidity of another unnecessary (to be redundant) war of choice in the Middle […]
Friday, March 27, 2026
The Controversy Over Deep-Sea Mining, Explained
Deep-sea mining backers want metals for clean tech. Indigenous Pacific Islanders call it a threat to life, culture, and the ocean itself.
Iran War: Trump Faffs About, Extending Deadline for Strike Threat by 10 Days as US Military and Energy/Materials Shortfalls and Shortages Expected in Weeks; Iran Allows Transit of Trapped “Friendly” Ships
Today’s Iran war update: Trump and his inner circle seem astonishingly oblivious to accelerating damage to the economy and the military.
The Trump Administration’s Supposed “War” on Latin America’s Drug Cartels Has a New Name: “Operation Total Extermination”
While the War Department is currently focused on partner-led deterrence operations, it does not not rule out unilateral US strikes across Latin America.
Two Verdicts in Two Days: How American Courts Are Rewriting the Rules for Big Tech and Children
Will two verdicts against tech platform operators over the danger to children lead to a tidal wave of lawsuits? That jury is out.
The War on Iran Cannot Be Explained by Material Interests Alone
The War on Iran, observed beyond geopolitics: power, belief, and history shaping conflict beyond material interests
Australia’s Fuels Dependence Turns Into a Crisis
Australia is on its way to becoming the first advanced economy major victim of the Iran war due to baffling policy choices.
Iran War: Accelerating Economic Damage Creates Urgency on Strait of Hormuz Closure; Shambolic US Assault Preparations Continue; Iran Demands Recognition of Sovereignity Over Strait; Houthis Set to Strangle Red Sea Traffic if US Makes Ground Attack
Trump’s fight with the Iran war tar baby is at great risk of creating even more dangerous escalation.
Satyajit Das: The Modern ‘Share the Scraps’ Economy
A clinical look at the extractive behavior that all that share, erm, sharing economy talk obscures.
How the US Became an International Serial Killer
An Iran-focused update on America’s shameful, destabilizing status as global killer in chief
Coffee Break: OpenAI, Sora, Iran, the Ellison Empire, and Maybe a Recognition Event?
OpenAI’s shutdown of its Sora video generation engine service and the ensuing cancellation of a $1 billion deal with Disney may represent a recognition event for the company and the larger LLM economic boom.
Easing Capital, Reviving Risk: The Quiet Return of Too Big to Fail
Less capital, more risk. The latest move on big-bank rules suggests that too big to fail was never solved, only deferred.
