Weekend News roundup

First, let's look at UAE news. It was reported in the Wall Street Journal that the UAE was secretly attacking Iran independent of the US. The next day it was reported that KSA was also doing this. I read it and thought, "Is this news?" So I asked several friends - who I know don't read the WSJ - if they had heard of the UAE striking idependently.  3 of 6 who responded said yes. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think this was a scoop. 

Cages to protect against drone attacks is smart.

Cerebras IPO popped. This UAE backed company is not one I'd touch with a ten foot pole. That said, I heard a very bullish case for it on NPR's Marketplace. 

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Because America's economy is so big we are not dependent on tourism.

Yet another reason why the Iran War is hurting the rest of the world more than it is us. 

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Stock markets down, oil markets up on Friday. Why? 

There is no spinning how bad Trump's disastrous China summit was and the CPI and PPI numbers make it clear we are genuinely fucked. CNBC is positive... which is understandable.

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The way you avoid getting criticized for doing something you shouldn't be doing as Secretary of Transportation is to have it sponsored by corporations. How wonderful! Meanwhile FBI Director Kash Patel took a snorkeling trip around the USS Arizona in Hawaii.

The corruption/grift of the Trump administration has no floor.

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Someday Jerome Powell will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Good news from a guy who should have been Iowa's congressman.

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Manipulating Glassdoor:

I know the guy who wrote this. 

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Weighing myself when I first wake up is best... after 5 trips to the bathroom I'm guaranteed to weigh less than any other time of the day. On the serious front, I'm happy I'm down 7 lbs. (3 kilos) since the start of the war. Eating better and very long Cujo walks have paid off.

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David Letterman's awesome final words on Stephen Colbert's show.

Poker lesson

Strike Force Five on Stephen Colbert. Here is the extended interview.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the UAE on it's own attacked Iran took out an oil refinery on Lavan Island.

Trump phone: 500,000 pre-orders. No phone and no sign of a phone.

Trump's delusional post on Mother's Day.

Bad news for Trump, not awesome news for Democrats.

Gas Tax holiday.is stupid. Less than half of it goes to consumers. 

Iran holds the Strait... and Straights are a 1 in 255 hand in 5 card stud. It is 1 in 25 in Texas Hold 'em... in other words, it's a pretty good hand.

In Chuck We Trust?

To see the vlog version of this post: 

 

On May 4 the UAE was attacked by Iran for the first time in weeks. 

Oil refinery in Fujairah was hit.

This is a stunning pic of the oil refinery burning as an Emirates plane departs from DXB. 

The Project Freedom plan of the US is to have ships hug the coast of the Oman. The problem? This water is too shallow for giant container ships. (I've gone snorkel diving in here. I can't imagine giant ships trying to navigate this.)

Happy birthday to my former Teaching Assistant Omar Mabrouk. Omar is an Econ grad from UAEU and the first to be part of Omicron Delta Epsilon Econ honor society.

Speaking of economists...

I learned from the Smartless podcast today that Colin Jost was an Econ major at Harvard. As much as I love him on SNL, I can't imagine anyone seeing this kid and predicting he'd someday become a legendary cast member... and dear god, marrying Scarlett Johansen? Dude married UP!

In Presidential Succession the first to take over is the Vice President, followed by the Speaker of the House. Third in line is the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. As Trump was attacked at the White House Correspondent's dinner the designated survivor was Chuck Grassley. 

This has blown up on social media. Outrage that the 92 year old could be President. I don't get the outrage. I've never voted Chuck and I never will but I respect him. I'd rather have him as President than the guys ahead of him.

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And finally... Happy Cinco Demayo. I have no tequila in my apartment so I hope you have a Margarita in my honor.