John Carroll
@galactus-us.bsky.social
Pinned
John Carroll
@galactus-us.bsky.social
· Apr 13
China Halts Critical Rare Earth Exports as Trade War Intensifies
Beijing has suspended exports of certain rare earth minerals and magnets that are crucial for the world’s car, semiconductor and aerospace industries.
www.nytimes.com
China is going to ban exports on "rare earth" minerals, which are essential to electronics systems made around the world. Currently, China controls 95% of the supply of these minerals, possessing a near monopoly on the final refinement process (outside mines must often export ore to China) 1/10
Like a guy jumping out of a plane he is crashing into a mountain.
Washington Post publisher Will Lewis announces departure, following mass layoffs
Washington Post publisher and CEO Will Lewis is leaving the newspaper, it announced on Saturday after carrying out widespread layoffs this week.
www.reuters.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Like a guy jumping out of a plane he is crashing into a mountain.
"And if anyone thought that this might be a sign of Italy’s distaste for North America at large, the locals made it clear that their beef was specifically with the U.S.
The Italians reserved some of the loudest cheers of the night for Mexico and Canada."
The Italians reserved some of the loudest cheers of the night for Mexico and Canada."
Team USA, Vance Booed in Frosty Reception at Italy’s Winter Olympics
With the U.S. vice president in attendance, local fans at the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony made their frustration with America heard on Friday.
www.wsj.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:04 AM
"And if anyone thought that this might be a sign of Italy’s distaste for North America at large, the locals made it clear that their beef was specifically with the U.S.
The Italians reserved some of the loudest cheers of the night for Mexico and Canada."
The Italians reserved some of the loudest cheers of the night for Mexico and Canada."
Reposted by John Carroll
There are drawdowns. And then there’s Melania Coin.
February 5, 2026 at 11:53 PM
There are drawdowns. And then there’s Melania Coin.
Reposted by John Carroll
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
Tisza may beat Orban's Nationalists, but the far right will get into parliament as voter narcissism and historical ignorance is the Achilles heel of democracy.
www.reuters.com/world/hungar...
www.reuters.com/world/hungar...
Hungary's Tisza party leads pre-election poll, far-right party on course for parliament
Hungary's centre-right Tisza party leads Prime Minister Viktor Orban's governing Fidesz party before an April 12 election, and the far-right Our Homeland party is on course to enter parliament, accord...
www.reuters.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Tisza may beat Orban's Nationalists, but the far right will get into parliament as voter narcissism and historical ignorance is the Achilles heel of democracy.
www.reuters.com/world/hungar...
www.reuters.com/world/hungar...
Reposted by John Carroll
Definitely seems like they destroyed the country on purpose.
February 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Definitely seems like they destroyed the country on purpose.
Reposted by John Carroll
A president who thinks his job is creating new buildings in DC
Trump: "I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything."
February 1, 2026 at 11:32 PM
A president who thinks his job is creating new buildings in DC
Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a reliably Republican Texas state Senate seat, stunning GOP
apnews.com/article/texa...
apnews.com/article/texa...
Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a reliably Republican Texas state Senate seat, stunning GOP
Democrat Taylor Rehmet has won a special election for the Texas state Senate and flipped a reliably Republican district that President Donald Trump won by 17 points in 2024.
apnews.com
February 1, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a reliably Republican Texas state Senate seat, stunning GOP
apnews.com/article/texa...
apnews.com/article/texa...
Reposted by John Carroll
“America is a dangerous place at the moment, so you have to take that into account.
“It’s very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America, and we love it, but it’s not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment.”
Read: bit.ly/3NQCd7l
“It’s very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America, and we love it, but it’s not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment.”
Read: bit.ly/3NQCd7l
January 31, 2026 at 6:00 AM
“America is a dangerous place at the moment, so you have to take that into account.
“It’s very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America, and we love it, but it’s not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment.”
Read: bit.ly/3NQCd7l
“It’s very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America, and we love it, but it’s not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment.”
Read: bit.ly/3NQCd7l
"But in an ironic twist, given U.S. President Donald Trump's love of tariffs, they are discovering that the trade in goods is one area where they have more options than they may have thought and where they have the ability to adapt relatively quickly."
World discovers it can hedge US trade risk
It will be many years before the United States' allies can contemplate dispensing with the need for its military might or challenging the tech supremacy of its Silicon Valley giants.
www.reuters.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:31 PM
"But in an ironic twist, given U.S. President Donald Trump's love of tariffs, they are discovering that the trade in goods is one area where they have more options than they may have thought and where they have the ability to adapt relatively quickly."
Everybody knows we are riding an AI bubble. They jump whenever tremors are felt in the soap film we are riding on.
January 29, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Everybody knows we are riding an AI bubble. They jump whenever tremors are felt in the soap film we are riding on.
Reposted by John Carroll
WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF—
January 28, 2026 at 6:04 AM
WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF—
A disproportionate number of successful startups were created by people who came here on an H-1B.
Texas Moves to Curtail Visas for Skilled Foreign Workers
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:04 AM
A disproportionate number of successful startups were created by people who came here on an H-1B.
Our goal, apparently, is to copy the demographics of China and Japan. They, too, have little immigration. So much for a more youthful America.
U.S. Population Growth Slows Sharply as Immigration Numbers Plunge
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Our goal, apparently, is to copy the demographics of China and Japan. They, too, have little immigration. So much for a more youthful America.
Like when you buy too much chili pepper at a Costco and you put chili in everything. Or it's just America playing the troll again.
US ICE agents to support security at Winter Olympics in Italy, source confirms
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel will help protect U.S. delegations at the Winter Olympics in Italy, a U.S. embassy source said on Tuesday, confirming local media reports and p...
www.reuters.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Like when you buy too much chili pepper at a Costco and you put chili in everything. Or it's just America playing the troll again.
The boy who cried "wolf"
January 27, 2026 at 5:33 AM
The boy who cried "wolf"
"His comments come as some other Republicans in Minnesota and Washington have started to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state. Madel said ICE’s Operation Metro Surge will be a political liability for any candidate running statewide this fall."
Chris Madel ends GOP bid for governor, says he can’t support federal ‘retribution’ against Minnesota
His exit comes as some other Republicans have started to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state.
www.startribune.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:52 PM
"His comments come as some other Republicans in Minnesota and Washington have started to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state. Madel said ICE’s Operation Metro Surge will be a political liability for any candidate running statewide this fall."
Reposted by John Carroll
“Please get the truth out about our son.”
Read and share the statement from the parents of Alex Pretti, the VA ICU nurse who was shot and killed by border patrol.
Read and share the statement from the parents of Alex Pretti, the VA ICU nurse who was shot and killed by border patrol.
January 25, 2026 at 5:30 PM
“Please get the truth out about our son.”
Read and share the statement from the parents of Alex Pretti, the VA ICU nurse who was shot and killed by border patrol.
Read and share the statement from the parents of Alex Pretti, the VA ICU nurse who was shot and killed by border patrol.
Reposted by John Carroll
Klobuchar: "Somehow 50,000 peaceful protesters in 10 below weather were able to march without any problems, and then the next day half a dozen ICE and CBP agents couldn't handle a guy with a cell phone taking video of them and shot him. I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here."
January 25, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Klobuchar: "Somehow 50,000 peaceful protesters in 10 below weather were able to march without any problems, and then the next day half a dozen ICE and CBP agents couldn't handle a guy with a cell phone taking video of them and shot him. I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here."
FIFA, an organization that now gives out peace prizes to curry favor, won't go along with this. But as liquor stores cleared of US brands in Canada or collapsing ticket sales on flights to the US show, you don't need tariffs on American goods to make people avoid buying American products.
German soccer federation official wants World Cup boycott considered because of Trump
A German soccer federation executive committee member says it’s time to consider a World Cup boycott because of the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump.
apnews.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:24 PM
FIFA, an organization that now gives out peace prizes to curry favor, won't go along with this. But as liquor stores cleared of US brands in Canada or collapsing ticket sales on flights to the US show, you don't need tariffs on American goods to make people avoid buying American products.
Reposted by John Carroll
strange to me that a lot of people on this website simultaneously agree that the administration is run by incompetents who struggle to carry out their agenda without major political blowback AND that they’ll pull off a complex and sophisticated effort to rig elections and prevent defeat in November
January 25, 2026 at 3:49 PM
strange to me that a lot of people on this website simultaneously agree that the administration is run by incompetents who struggle to carry out their agenda without major political blowback AND that they’ll pull off a complex and sophisticated effort to rig elections and prevent defeat in November
Reposted by John Carroll
This witness to Alex Pretti's murder not only refutes the governmen't story, but says she is afraid to go home because federal agents might arrest her. This is what it feels like to live under state terror.
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
TincherSealedWitnessDec012426.PDF
www.documentcloud.org
January 25, 2026 at 2:43 PM
This witness to Alex Pretti's murder not only refutes the governmen't story, but says she is afraid to go home because federal agents might arrest her. This is what it feels like to live under state terror.
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
Reposted by John Carroll
i think this attitude — that all opposition is illegitimate and nothing we do can be questioned— is probably pervasive in the white house and helps explain why they keep making terrible political choices
Putin pioneered this. No opposition is legitimate. Regular, decent, “ordinary” people cannot possibly be against us because only we represent “the real people.”
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
January 25, 2026 at 3:02 PM
i think this attitude — that all opposition is illegitimate and nothing we do can be questioned— is probably pervasive in the white house and helps explain why they keep making terrible political choices
Reposted by John Carroll
Both of Nevada's senators--Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen--have officially come out against the DHS funding bill following the execution of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis this morning. This effectively ends the DHS funding bill in the Senate.
January 24, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Both of Nevada's senators--Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen--have officially come out against the DHS funding bill following the execution of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis this morning. This effectively ends the DHS funding bill in the Senate.