Monday, April 20, 2026

THIS MODERN WORLD: The Visionaries | Monday, April 20, 2026 at 5:30:00a PDT by Tom Tomorrow

Here's is one comment to note: "I await the inclusion of Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, both of whom are even scarier and more demented than those three."
LINK TO SOURCE Daily Koshttps://www.dailykos.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/TMW2026-04-20colorXL.jpg?resize=1024,977 
- No comments:

Brawl Stars April 2026 Brawl Talk: Three New Brawlers

- No comments:

Department of War: Economic Warfare + Crisis Management

U.S. Reinforces Middle East with 3 Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups as Pressure on Iran Builds

The United States has surged three aircraft carrier strike groups toward the Middle East, creating a rare concentration of naval airpower that sharply increases its ability to launch sustained strikes, enforce air superiority, and control key sea lanes. 
That kind of force posture strengthens deterrence, expands military options across the region, and signals that Washington is prepared for rapid escalation if the security situation worsens. 
  1. With USS Gerald R. Ford joining USS Abraham Lincoln in the broader theater, the U.S. gains greater deck-based strike capacity to support combat sorties, missile defense, and maritime security missions simultaneously. 
  2. The deployment reflects a wider shift toward flexible, high-end force projection built to respond fast to regional crises and operate across multiple fronts. 
 Read full Naval Defense News at this link …

U.S. Navy sailors conduct flight deck operations aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on March 22, 2026, illustrating the high-tempo air operations capability supporting U.S. multi-carrier deployments. 

(Picture source: U.S. Department of War)


U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, directly testing the limits of a fragile regional ceasefire and raising the risk of naval escalation. 

The boarding signals Washington’s willingness to enforce sanctions at sea, with immediate implications for maritime security and freedom of navigation in a critical choke point. 

The operation demonstrated the ability to intercept and control suspect shipping in contested waters, reinforcing U.S. maritime interdiction and deterrence capabilities. 

Such actions highlight the growing role of naval power in economic warfare and crisis management, where control of sea lanes can quickly translate into strategic leverage. Read more. 

Screenshots from U.S. Central Command footage showing the pursuit of the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel Touska by a U.S. Navy ship in the Arabian Sea, and  the helicopters used during the interception and boarding operation (Picture source: CENTCOM X Account)
 
Chokepoint: What Will Happen if the U.S. Can't Reopen the Strait of Hormuz? - Kindle edition by Locke, Adrian. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
AI Overview
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical choke point for global ...
The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical maritime chokepoint, with roughly 20% of global oil consumption (
 million b/d) and significant LNG passing through. Located between Iran and Oman, it is only 29 nautical miles wide at its narrowest, with 2-mile-wide inbound/outbound shipping lanes. The US and Iran are currently engaged in a blockade/counter-blockade crisis, making it a major, volatile chokepoint.
Strategic Importance and Crisis (As of April 2026)
  • Global Impact: Nearly 25% of global seaborne oil trade traverses this strait, mostly to Asian markets.
  • 2026 Crisis: Following US-Israel airstrikes on Iran in late February 2026, Iran threatened the strait and, along with a subsequent US blockade on Iranian ports, caused a near-halt in traffic, leading to extreme global supply chain, energy market, and shipping industry disruptions.
  • Alternative Routes: Options to bypass the strait are limited, mostly consisting of pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but these are insufficient to replace all tanker traffic.
  • Military Presence: The US Navy's 5th Fleet patrols the area to keep the lanes open, while Iran has threatened to use mines and target ships to assert control.
Key Characteristics
  • Location: Separates the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
  • Narrow Passageway: The shipping lanes are extremely narrow (
     miles each way) with a
    -mile buffer zone, making it a "shooting gallery" for ships during conflict.
  • Economic Risk: Disruptions historically drive up oil prices significantly, with potential for long-term global economic damage if permanently restricted.
- No comments:

TODAY: Tariff Ruling Kicks Off Messy Fight Over $170B in Refunds

Apr 20, 2026 #tariffs #supreme #businesses
U.S. businesses can finally start applying for tariff refunds following the US Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that President Donald Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing them. 
 
Also in this edition: oil prices surge again after Iran vows to block the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is causing severe disruptions to the supply of materials like plastic. Plus, a humanoid robot in China beats the human half-marathon world record. #tariffs #supreme court #businesses
YouTube
FRANCE 24 English · 47 minutes ago
Billion-dollar tariff refund process kicks off in US • FRANCE 24 English
Transport Topics
Tariff Ruling Kicks Off Messy Fight Over $170B in Refunds - TT

 https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaQmCWm5RvOiSd6AmS81PWdlprUe5eTo8b7Q&s

Supreme Court tosses Pres. Trump’s tariffs

MarketWatch
2 days ago
Tariff refunds are coming: Here's who will get them first - MarketWatch
- No comments:

Nancy Sinatra SLAMS Donald Trump Over 'My Way' Clip—Calls It 'Sacrilege'

 

YouTube
6 hours ago
- No comments:

YouTube Trending Videos In U.S. Right Now!

- No comments:

The conflicts of interest inside Trump's orbit just got harder to ignore. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 exclusive

Trump Admin Hands Mega-Deal to Company Backed by Jared Kushner’s War-Profiteer Brother

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY
Joshua Kushner looks set to cash in on Trump’s wars even as the president leans on Kushner’s brother, who’s married to Trump’s daughter, to help end them.
Will Neal Reporter
Updated Apr. 17 2026 8:41AM EDT Published Apr. 17 2026 5:37AM EDT

exclusive
Josh Kushner, Jared Kushner
Photo Illustration by Eric Faison

The Trump administration just handed a huge deal to a defense firm backed by the brother of the president’s son-in-law.

The Defense Department has announced a new contract with Anduril Industries, Inc.—which counts Joshua Kushner, younger brother of Jared Kushner, among its major funders—to provide up to $20 billion in military equipment and systems.



- No comments:
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)