Odds and Ends — 8 May 2026

@preparedwombat 78

about 21 hours ago

oddsandends

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

Bitmine’s Tom Lee says ‘crypto spring’ has already begun

ECB’s Lagarde Pushes Back on Euro Stablecoins, Warns of ‘Structural Weaknesses’

Flash Fiction:

“Charlie! Get up damnit. This has been going on way too long.”

“Give me a few more minutes.”

“That’s what you said yesterday. You’ve been in bed for 36 hours now.”

“Look, I know you think it’s time to get vertical but the horizontal lifestyle is so very appealing.”

“I’m going to the kitchen. Getting a pitcher of ice water. If you’re not up and moving by the time I get back, we’ll see how appealing it is when you’re cold and wet.”

Written for this prompt.

Coronavirus and Public Health:

Why the hantavirus outbreak is different from the COVID-19 pandemic

https://twitter.com/covie_93/status/2052153458652811327

https://twitter.com/thetrueshelby/status/2052201467402948836

https://twitter.com/nicholasrhutch/status/2052154705514471633

Iran:

https://twitter.com/CheriJacobus/status/2052154473032663325

Iran has hit far more U.S. military assets than reported, satellite images show

Iranian airstrikes have damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at U.S. military sites across the Middle East since the war began, hitting hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft and key radar, communications and air defense equipment, according to a Washington Post analysis of satellite imagery. The amount of destruction is far larger than what has been publicly acknowledged by the U.S. government or previously reported.

https://twitter.com/John_Hudson/status/2052408110506013073

https://twitter.com/PrepperCanadian/status/2052236530970988989

Politics:

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/2052118121389953153
https://twitter.com/covie_93/status/2052181119139803401

U.S. Treasury will have to borrow $2 trillion this year just to continue functioning—more than $166 billion every month

Two trillion works out to $5,865 per person. And that’s before the economy implodes.

https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/2052726236464517545
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/2052720333199737049

‘Hondurasgate,’ the alleged US and Israeli interference plot to destabilize Mexico and other progressive governments

A leaked audio recording points to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, Javier Milei, and Donald Trump as attempting to create a platform to spread fake news about the administrations of Claudia Sheinbaum, Lula, and Gustavo Petro

https://twitter.com/ClaireOfRuralia/status/2052414374090768818

Conditions are right for voters to stop turning a blind eye to his greed, grift, and gold leaf.

Oil-Price Bets Totaled $7 Billion

A series of well-timed market bets on falling oil prices totaling as much as $7 billion during March and April spread across multiple exchanges and types of fuel and derivatives just before major Iranian policy announcements by President Donald Trump.

———— Putin&Krasnov vs. Ukraine ————

https://twitter.com/polidemitolog/status/2052343435399700552

https://twitter.com/JayinKyiv/status/2052329360653254798

https://twitter.com/BohuslavskaKate/status/2052427538723426472

https://twitter.com/shustry/status/2051696893235708182

———— Smoot-Hawley 2.0 ————

US trade court rules against Trump's 10% global tariffs

———— Melon Husk ————

DOGE Cuts to Humanities Grants Were Unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. DOGE Service did not have the authority to cancel National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which made up more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds.

———— Hegseth on the Rocks ————

China announces suspended death sentences for former defence ministers

Serendipity:

Half of Europe’s towns and villages have fewer residents than 60 years ago

A data analysis by CORRECTIV.Europe reveals for the first time that even as Europe’s overall population grows, half of its municipalities are losing inhabitants – putting increasing pressure on the quality of life in rural areas.