Odds and Ends — 26 March 2026

@preparedwombat 78

2 days ago

oddsandends

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, AI, and Debt:

https://twitter.com/emollick/status/2036609949577413085

Meta and YouTube found liable in landmark social media addiction trial

https://twitter.com/WrnrWrites/status/2036546207045108217

Coinbase, Fannie Mae to Enable Crypto-Backed Mortgages

Flash Fiction:

”Your blood pressure’s too high, your A1C is far into double digits, and you’re a hundred pounds overweight. This can’t go on. Yes, Senator, I can increase your dosages but that’s no substitute for you taking control of your health.”

”Write the prescriptions and let me get back to fighting for the Constitution.”

”But this is your constitutional crisis. Exercise, weight loss, and no more cigars. And a morning constitutional three-mile walk. Doctor’s orders.”

Written for this prompt.

Coronavirus and Public Health:

How Covid Quietly Rewires the Brain

Iran:

Trump’s ‘Absurdly Incoherent’ Pleas Leave Allies Befuddled

Donald Trump’s messaging on what he wants from American allies in his war against Iran is so confusing that any effort to help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains deadlocked, according to four European government officials.

https://twitter.com/corsair21c/status/2036660209553432660

https://twitter.com/Microinteracti1/status/2036749769322680727

The Revolutionary Guards are taking over Iran

People close to the regime describe a system that has shifted from theocracy to something resembling a military junta, akin to Algeria, Egypt or Pakistan.

As World Seeks War’s End, Israelis Hold Out for Full Victory

Depleted Weapons Stocks Are a Strategic Red Flag

The war with Iran is no longer hypothetical. American forces are engaged. Missiles are being launched. Interceptors are being expended…munitions are striking targets across a widening battle space.”
And with every salvo, one uncomfortable reality becomes clearer: The United States does not look like it can sustain protracted, high-intensity conflict with a near-peer adversary.

https://twitter.com/d_jaishankar/status/2036801140084396498

Politics:

Trump Presses GOP to End Senate Filibuster

President Donald Trump pressed Senate Republicans to change the chamber’s rules in a way that would allow them to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security without Democrats, invoking the long lines and delays at some airports amid the partial government shutdown.”
As the funding impasse has dragged on, Trump has shown increasing frustration with members of his own party for not eliminating the rule that requires support from 60 senators to move bills onto the floor, hindering his ability to hammer through his legislative priorities, including a controversial voter ID bill.

I find it hard to imagine that Senate Republicans will do this. Sure, it would be a quick tactical victory. But they’d be gambling that Democrats would not take control of the Senate.

The Deep Risk That GOP Hawks Overlooked

If the Iran war goes badly, the isolationist, anti-Israel wing of the party is likely to steer the GOP’s future.

Democrats Hold Upper Hand in Shutdown Negotiations

For weeks, Democrats have implored Republicans to fund the rest of the department while carving out ICE enforcement — thus allowing negotiations to continue without wreaking havoc on other agencies. Now that once-reluctant Republicans are on board, suddenly it’s not enough to win Democratic votes.
Republicans are understandably furious. But Democrats’ shifting position underscores how the party has maintained the upper hand in the shutdown, at least politically speaking.
Sure, Democratic leaders who once scorned shutdowns have done a completely 180 — thanks to the pressure from the base. Nonetheless, the party isn’t catching much heat and currently feels zero pressure to cut a deal.

Trump Says Gorsuch and Barrett ‘Sicken Me’