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Dr. John Lott appeared on The Larry Elder Show to discuss crime committed by illegal immigrants and to dispute a professor’s claim, cited in an Orange County Register article, that illegal immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than Americans.
(Monday, March 9, 2026)
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A federal judge in New York tossed out actor Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims Thursday against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie “It Ends With Us,” but he left intact three claims, including retaliation, that will let a jury hear about many of the allegations anyway.
The written ruling by Judge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan came after Lively sued Baldoni last December, alleging sexual harassment among over a dozen claims against Baldoni and other parties.
A trial is scheduled to start on May 18. A brief phone conference was conducted after Liman issued his ruling. On the call, lawyers discussed the process of jury selection for the trial.
Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios had countersued Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. The judge dismissed Baldoni’s claims last June.
In his ruling, Liman determined that Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee. On that basis, he said she was not entitled to bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That law prohibits employment discrimination on various grounds, including gender.
In an analysis of the sexual harassment claims, the judge said Lively’s claims had to be viewed in the context of the movie they were working on.
“Lively claims that during filming, Baldoni leaned in and gestured as if he was intending to kiss her, and that he kissed her forehead, rubbed his face and mouth against her neck, put his thumb to her mouth and flicked her lower lip, caressed her, and leaned into her neck, saying ‘it smells good,’” the judge wrote.
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He said there was no question that the conduct would support a hostile work environment claim if it happened on a factory floor or in an executive suite.
However, the judge noted, Baldoni was “acting in the scene.”
“Assuming he was improvising, the conduct was not so far beyond what might reasonably be expected to take place between two characters during a slow dancing scene such that an inference of hostile treatment on the basis of sex would arise. At least in isolation, the conduct was directed to Lively’s character rather than to Lively herself,” he wrote.
“Creative artists, no less than comedy room writers, must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment,” Liman added.
Despite those findings, the judge said some of Lively’s claims about sexual harassment may be put to a jury to support two retaliation claims that survived the ruling, including one against It Ends With Us Movie LLC and Wayfarer Studios, and a third claim that was left intact alleging breach of a contract rider agreement against It Ends With Us Movie LLC.
The judge noted that Baldoni once said “pretty hot” after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra underneath, and that when he was warned that it was inappropriate and distracting to make such comment, he allegedly rolled his eyes and responded: “Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training.”
Liman also cited a scene in which Baldoni pushed for Lively to perform a birth scene naked and then the scene was filmed over several hours without the set being closed to nonessential personnel.
And in another instance, the judge said, it was alleged that Baldoni volunteered that he had previously been addicted to pornography and Lively said she had never seen pornography.
Liman said it “may be fair grounds for an author or a director to discuss personal experiences, including those related to sex, as part of the creative process,” but the judge wrote that Baldoni may have crossed the line when he later announced to others on set that Lively had never seen pornography.
Lawyers in the case did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August 2024, exceeding box office expectations with a $50 million debut. But the movie’s release was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and Baldoni.
Lively appeared in the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012 before starring in films including “The Town” and “The Shallows.”
Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart” and wrote “Man Enough,” a book challenging traditional notions of masculinity.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
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After taking inventory of our pantry and refrigerators and freezers, I decided to buy as little as possible this week and work on eating up some of the surplus and leftovers we already have in the house. I’ve overbought several of the last few weeks (there have been two different weeks of having my two college kids home for spring break, and I’ve wanted them to come home to every single one of their favorite homemade foods and snacks, haha), so this week will help balance that out.
1 gallon Milk – $2.96
1 large canister Oats – $3.49
2 32-oz cartons Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt – $5.58
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.85
1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $9.58
1 32-oz bag Organic Rice – $4.89
1 bag Frozen Strawberries – $3.49
1 3-ct pkg Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.25
2 8-oz blocks Mozzarella Cheese – $3.38
1 pkg Turkey Pepperoni – $2.89
1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $3.25
2 cans Garbanzo Beans – $1.70
Grocery Total for the Week: $46.31
Cereal, Oatmeal, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies, Eggs
Leftovers
Meat and Potato Crust Quiche, Broccoli, Biscuits
Venison Roast, Baked Potato Wedges, Cauliflower
Spaghetti Pizza, French Bread
Chicken Gravy over Rice, Tossed Salad
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Peas, Creamy Milk Rice
Ham Steaks, Mashed Potatoes, Make-Ahead Butterhorns, Green Beans
Pancakes, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs
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Look no further for a creamy and ultra-smooth classic cheesecake recipe! Paired with a buttery graham cracker crust, no one can deny its simple decadence. For the best results, bake in a water bath.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101. The one in the book also includes a recipe for an optional cherry sauce topping!
This is a classic baked cheesecake made with a graham cracker crust and a creamy, tangy filling. By following the recipe below and the success tips my team and I have included, you will be rewarded with a perfect cheesecake: no cracks, no water leaks, and no guesswork!!!
One reader, Randy, commented: “This is the best cheesecake I have ever had! I’m from New York and nothing there beats this—even in the fanciest of restaurants. The only problem is that everyone I’ve shared it with wants me to make more and more. They rave about it being the best ever. ★★★★★”
I have shared many, many cheesecake recipes over the years.
There’s been peanut butter cheesecake, blueberry swirl cheesecake, Snickers cheesecake, pumpkin swirl cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, and Amaretto cheesecake. Plus more cheesecake in my published cookbooks. That’s a lot of cheesecake recipes without a single nod to where it all originates: classic cheesecake.
To me, classic cheesecake is creamy, rich, and smooth. My cheesecake recipe is not as dense as New York cheesecake, but it’s just as special. It’s thick, it’s velvety, and there’s no denying its decadence. When I imagine what Chandler and Rachel’s stolen cheesecake tastes like, it’s this!
While there’s a glaring absence of chunks, swirls, and sprinkles in this ivory crowned jewel, there’s nothing plain about this simply stunning dessert.
Preparing this cheesecake recipe is simple—it’s baking it that can make or break the results. Many factors are at play like the springform pan leaking, the surface of the cheesecake cracking, under-baking, over-baking, etc. I have plenty of tricks that will help guarantee classic cheesecake perfection, including determining when the cheesecake is done and everything you need to know about a cheesecake water bath.
You only need a few basic staple ingredients for this cheesecake recipe.
And as always, make sure all of the cheesecake batter ingredients are at room temperature so the batter remains smooth, even, and combines quickly. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky, over-beaten cheesecake batter, hardly the way we want to start!
Since classic is the keyword of the day, we’re sticking with cheesecake’s main squeeze: a graham cracker crust. I reduced the butter from my original graham cracker crust recipe by 1 Tablespoon. I find this crust remains a little more crunchy. Make sure you pack the crust in tightly and pre-bake it to help prevent any sogginess.
You could use this Oreo cookie crust instead. No big changes necessary to the recipe below, but I do encourage you to lightly grease the bottom of the springform pan because Oreo crusts tend to stick. (You could also use a Biscoff pie crust instead if you’d like!)
I like to use the bottom of a small measuring cup to smooth the crust mixture into the springform pan. Speaking of, you’ll need a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. A springform pan has removable sides so you can safely release the cheesecake without having to flip the pan over or struggle to cut the cheesecake inside the pan. Springform pans can leak if you’re baking the cheesecake in a water bath (more on that below!), but this particular pan is reliable. I haven’t had any leaking issues.
I promise a water bath is nothing complicated. All you’re doing is placing the springform pan in a roasting pan, filling it with hot water, and baking. What’s the point, you ask?
Cheesecake loves a humid environment. The steam from the hot water will lift the cheesecake up slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of cracks on the surface. Additionally, this slow and even baking method helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking back down as it cools. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a water bath for this cheesecake recipe is well worth it.
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. A water bath creates a humid environment that helps the cheesecake bake gently and evenly. If you skip it, expect a slightly drier texture, browned surface, and there’s a higher chance it will crack.
Cheesecake is done when the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble. All ovens are different, so this can take anywhere from 55 to 70 minutes.
Yes! Cheesecake is a wonderful make-ahead dessert because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for several hours and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it; see detailed instructions below.
In addition to using a cheesecake water bath, another way to help prevent cheesecake cracks is to let it cool slowly, starting inside the oven. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off, crack open the oven door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. A drastic and sudden change of temperature isn’t ideal for cheesecake—from hot oven to cool counter—so do your best to control the environment by leaving the cheesecake inside. Does this make sense?
After the cheesecake cools in the oven for 1 hour, place it on the counter to cool completely to room temperature. After it’s cool, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or even overnight. There’s no greater test to your willpower than those hours you’re forced to wait as the cheesecake cools down and then chills in the refrigerator. But when you take that first bite, every minute you waited will be completely worth it!
For a quicker, easier alternative to making a classic cheesecake, try this cheesecake pie or pumpkin cheesecake pie. Or if you want to completely skip the baking and cooling process, try my no-bake cheesecake instead.
To summarize the above, here are the key tips:
Enjoy your velvet-rich cheesecake as is, or get a little fancy with a selection of toppings. Here are some recommendations:
Get creative or keep it simple. Either way, it’s going to impress.
And if you’re really looking to take your cheesecake to the next level, check out my pecan pie cheesecake, cinnamon swirl cheesecake, or caramel apple cheesecake pie.
Look no further for a creamy and ultra smooth classic cheesecake recipe! Paired with a buttery graham cracker crust, no one can deny its simple decadence. For the best results, bake in a water bath. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
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Asked to name famous shipwrecks at a bar trivia night, a fair few participants might think immediately of Pearl Harbor, whether or not they can recall that it was the USS Arizona bombed there. More firmly within living memory sits the SS Andrea Doria, though she’s hardly the cultural reference she used to be. The wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald passed its fiftieth anniversary just last year, which gave a boost to its remembrance, if mostly by Gordon Lightfoot fans. There is, of course, the Endurance, though the ship herself has always been overshadowed by the efforts of her captain to get the whole crew home alive. The schooner Hesperus does come to mind as a particularly unfortunate vessel, perhaps all the more so because she didn’t actually exist.
Nearly everyone at the bar is, of course, going to put down the RMS Titanic first. Even before she received the James Cameron treatment, that “unsinkable” ocean liner was easily the most famous shipwreck of the twentieth century, and quite possibly of all history. But second place has to go to the RMS Lusitania, which went under just three years after the Titanic. As close as the year 1915 may sound to 1912, developments in Europe had rearranged the world in the meantime. The Titanic met her end by colliding with an iceberg, and about two and a half hours later, as you can see in the real-time sinking video at the top of the post, it was on the bottom of the North Atlantic. When the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U‑boat, by contrast, she went down in just eighteen minutes.
You can witness those minutes re-created in the animated video from Oceanliner Designs just above. Though the Great War was raging, the ship hadn’t yet been commissioned as an armed merchant cruiser, but was conducting her usual transatlantic passenger service while — as the German side insisted and the British at first denied — carrying war materials on the side. She’d been traveling due east for six days when U‑20 sighted her; after an hour of tracking came the launch of the fateful underwater missile and its 160-kilogram explosive payload. The video shows and explains not just how the Lusitania slipped below the water, but also the breakdown along the way of her various structural elements and mechanical systems, including the elevators that had once seemed such marvelous innovations.
It seems that after the torpedo hit, practically everything that could have consequently gone wrong did, right down to the few deployable lifeboats dropping catastrophically from their davits. The crew of the Titanic managed to launch most of her lifeboats, but there weren’t enough of them in the first place. That contributed to a final death toll of around 1,500, as compared with 1,197 on the Lusitania. Though similar in scale and historical timing, these two maritime disasters ended up with very different meanings. The wreck of the Titanic continues to capture imaginations by resonating with the industrial romance, class stratification, and imperial hubris of the long nineteenth century; that of the Lusitania, whose sinking played a major role in bringing the United States into what we now call World War I, shows us nothing so clearly as the merciless geopolitical logic of the twentieth.
Related content:
Watch the Sinking of the Lusitania Animated in Real Time (1915)
How James Cameron Shot Titanic’s Hugely Complex Sinking Scene
The Sinking of the Britannic: An Animated Introduction to the Titanic’s Forgotten Sister Ship
The Costa Concordia Shipwreck Viewed from Outer Space
The First Full 3D Scan of the Titanic, Made of More Than 700,000 Images Capturing the Wreck’s Every Detail
A New 3D Scan, Created from 25,000 High-Resolution Images, Reveals the Remarkably Well-Preserved Wreck of Shackleton’s Endurance
Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. He’s the author of the newsletter Books on Cities as well as the books 한국 요약 금지 (No Summarizing Korea) and Korean Newtro. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter at @colinmarshall.
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55
Writer and long-distance cyclist Simon Parker has travelled solo to more than 100 countries. He talks to fellow male solo travellers about why more men don’t do the same.
‘Hey, you’re not that guy we just saw on the freeway, are you?’ asked a smiling woman sat at a table of friends, as I stumbled into a rain-lashed diner, searching for coffee, bacon and pancakes. I’d just crossed America’s Rocky Mountains, alone, on a bicycle, in a storm. I felt cold, anxious and exhausted.
‘Yep, that was me!’ I replied with a sigh, as a puddle of grimy water pooled at my feet.
‘Oh, you poor thing! Well, please join us. We’re buying you breakfast.’ At which point, a coffee was swiftly poured, a stack of fluffy buttermilk was fetched, and despite my initial hesitation, we quickly transformed from strangers to friends.
An hour later, I left that diner feeling not just drier but warmer inside.
Twenty years spent travelling mostly solo have taught me to say yes to offers like these. I’ve been invited to parties by people I’d only just met. Been fed meals by those who could see I was hungry. And offered spare rooms and couches when I clearly needed to rest.
I’ve learnt good things happen when I embrace the unexpected. However, a range of different studies suggest that men are less likely to travel this way. With some research finding that just 15% of solo travellers are male. So, what gives?
‘I think there’s a certain social stigma associated with men travelling solo,’ says James Johnston, a 46-year-old accountant for a medical company, who lives near Cambridge, UK. ‘Men have an image of being macho. Maybe it’s a societal thing. Or even a social media thing.’
Previously, as a single man in his twenties, James admits to being held back by the idea that holidays needed to be taken with friends and family. But while most people he knew wanted to relax next to a pool for a week or two, he wanted to take on more adventurous trips.
‘I got fed up of waiting for other people to want to go and do things. So, one day I just took the plunge and went for it. I realised that life is short and you never know what’s in the future.’
Since turning 30, he has been on ten Intrepid trips, including to places such as Everest Base Camp, Egypt and Costa Rica. One trip, however, stands out above all others: a hike up Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Not for its epic views or mountainside campsites, but for the sense of camaraderie he experienced. To such an extent, the strangers he shared that trip with became lifelong friends.
‘Despite all living in different places around the UK, we all still meet up in central locations like the Peak District. Probably about every three or four months. Since Kilimanjaro, we’ve also all done the Inca Trail together in Peru and we probably talk on our WhatsApp group every day.’
Why are men opting out of these opportunities to make connections through solo travel then, when in recent decades, it’s been discovered they are more likely to experience a ‘friendship recession’ as they approach middle age? A report by the Survey Centre on American Life found that just 27% of men had at least six close friends when it was carried out in 2021, compared to 55% back in 1990.
Some psychologists put this down to the nature of male friendships. Men are more likely to base their relationships around sports and activities. But over time, as work and family commitments take greater priority, socialising this way becomes more difficult.
‘I didn’t travel a lot on my own through a sense of guilt at spending money on myself,’ says Richard Watson, a solo-curious filmmaker from Zimbabwe, who has travelled widely with work and family, but seldom taken an independent trip. ‘I didn’t have the confidence but I also wanted to get my head down and focus on work. There’s a part of me that is always trying to be productive and purpose driven.’
Richard admits to feeling wary of being alone with his ‘internal dialogue’ and prefers travelling with friends. Often, however, those trips must have a clear goal or destination to aim at. Which is a sentiment that sounds familiar. I’m not cut out for a sun lounger.
‘I’d rather go on a mission and have a shared experience,’ says Richard. ‘I enjoy being active on holidays. Like fishing or camping or hiking. It’s a lot more engaging.’
Nevertheless, he is eager to explore the edge of his comfort zone in the years to come and give solo travel a try. So, he recently booked a week in Thailand by himself to test the waters, knowing that he’d be meeting up with a friend at the end. ‘I leant into my photography, which was nice,’ says Richard, who needed a creative focus of some sorts. ‘But I found it was more fun when I was with a mate.’
Which is what makes small-group travel so special. For many, who join solo but then slot into the comfort and camaraderie of a group, it’s the ideal antidote to travelling completely alone.
It’s proof that solo travel doesn’t have to feel lonely, which of all the questions I receive about the hundreds of trips I’ve been on, is the one I get asked most is. Do I get lonely? My answer: Sometimes. But rarely, in truth.
For me, it’s actually the biggest misconception about solo travel; that you’re doing it alone. In reality, whether you go completely solo or join a group, you’re often just in the company of people you haven’t said hi to yet. The biggest challenge is being open to new conversations and experiences. Knowing that, even if they can feel a little awkward at first, things will change. Because all friendships start somewhere, right?
As a result of striking up nascent connections, I’ve been on hikes to Machu Picchu in Peru, up Mount Toubkal in Morocco and across Europe on a bicycle – all with strangers that became lifelong friends. A shared challenge or goal, like a climb, trek, tour or ride, has a remarkable ability to bring people together.
And I’m not alone in seeing the social benefits of solo travel. Some studies suggest that 90% of solo travellers join group tours, some or all of the time.
Patrick Murphy, a software engineer from Ireland, is a keen advocate. ‘Once you do it, you realise how much easier it is. I’m an introvert normally, which I always thought was a negative thing. But it turns out that I’m perfectly suited to group travel. Because it requires you to get out of your comfort zone.’
Patrick has visited 76 countries and has no plans on stopping. Because travelling solo in a group setting makes him feel like a different version of himself. A Patrick 2.0, who is more confident and open to spontaneity.
While on a group trip in Guatemala, he and his fellow adventurers went out for a few drinks to wrap up the day and ended up having the night of their lives.
‘We got invited to a house party and had a great night. Nothing planned, just random. Some of us gave a bad exhibition of Irish dancing. It brings out a whole different side of me. I’m a lot more open to speaking to people.’
And that’s exactly why I travel solo, too. Being away from home, without my friends and family for company, I become more outgoing, more talkative. And more open to offers that might otherwise feel strange.
But behaving that way takes effort; it takes practise. Because sometimes, I admit, it can be easier to cocoon myself in my own little orbit. To scroll on my phone or read a book. To forget that there is a wonderful world out there waiting – always swirling around me.
When I push myself, though, to take the first step, good things happen. Just like when I met those friendly folk in the Rocky Mountains. They provided warmth when I needed it the most and despite only spending an hour together, we still stay in contact today.
Embark on your own solo-travel adventure by joining a small-group trip with Intrepid.
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RelentlessAaron.net | April 4, 2026
—
Let me put this in plain numbers.
Tesla built 408,386 cars in Q1 2026. They sold 358,023. That’s 50,363 vehicles
sitting in a lot somewhere. The most unsold inventory in the company’s
history.
Analysts predicted 372,160 deliveries. They missed by 14,000 units. Tesla’s
stock has been getting hammered. And in the same quarter, the federal EV tax
credit — which was basically a $7,500 discount the government was handing you
to go electric — got eliminated.
US electric vehicle sales dropped 28% in the first three months of 2026.
Twenty-eight percent.
That’s not a dip. That’s a collapse.
And here’s what makes it worse for Tesla specifically: while the whole EV
market is struggling, competitors like Rivian, BMW, and Volvo are still
launching new models. They’re betting on the long game. Tesla is pulling
models off the menu — they discontinued the Model S and Model X in April. Now
the only things they’re selling are the Model 3, Model Y, and the Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck delivered fewer than 16,000 units all quarter. That’s the truck
Elon bet the brand’s cool factor on.
So what’s really happening here?
Two things. One is industry-wide. One is Tesla-specific.
The industry-wide problem: when the government pulled the tax credit, it
exposed something uncomfortable. A lot of EV demand wasn’t organic — it was
subsidy-driven. Remove the $7,500 and suddenly the math doesn’t work for a lot
of average buyers. Especially in this economy, with the Middle East conflict
already threatening to push gas prices back up. Yes — that’s the irony. An EV
market that was supposed to make us independent from oil is getting crushed
partly because of an oil crisis.
The Tesla-specific problem: Elon Musk has made himself a polarizing political
figure. Period. You can debate whether that’s fair or not, but the data is the
data. Tesla’s sales slump is outpacing the broader EV market’s slump. People
are choosing Rivian. People are choosing BMW electric. They’re actively
avoiding the Tesla badge. That’s brand damage. That takes years to repair — if
it gets repaired at all.
What does this mean for you?
If you’re in the market for an EV, this is actually a buyer’s moment. 50,000
unsold cars means dealers have inventory. Negotiating room exists. Prices are
coming down.
If you’re an entrepreneur, study this story. Tesla built the best electric car
on the planet and then let brand identity become a liability. Your personal
brand and your business brand are not separate things. When one gets toxic, it
poisons the other.
And if you’re watching this as an investor — the EV revolution isn’t over. But
the first chapter, where government subsidies created artificial demand, is
closed. What’s coming next will be leaner, more competitive, and won’t carry
anyone.
Free action you can take today: If you’ve been putting off researching EVs
because you think they’re out of reach — go check today’s prices. The market
is different than it was six months ago. Knowledge is leverage.
Build smart. Buy smart. Stay relentless.
RelentlessAaron.net
Question: Would you buy a Tesla right now with all the brand drama, or are you going with a competitor? Drop it in the comments. Real talk only. Leave the comment on my facebook, Twitter, IG or Threads @relentlessaaron
Also, if you appreciate my voice and my writing/articles/energy, I’d appreciate if you would do two things for me: Subscribe (for free) to my 2 youtube links: This one is for my music, which keeps the bills paid: https://youtube.com/channel/UCZ01OMR4REIGmOanHbSG9Ug?si=Ews5PvOWGSnMr8cF
And here is my leading youtube channel where I put my short films, music videos and more: https://youtube.com/channel/UCZ01OMR4REIGmOanHbSG9Ug?si=Ews5PvOWGSnMr8cF
thx
RelentlessAaron.net | April 4, 2026
—
Let’s be real.
While most people are doom-scrolling trying to figure out if World War III just started, the people who are going to WIN in the next six months are the ones who understand what’s happening
economically — not just militarily.
On April 4th, 2026, US and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and petrochemical plants. Not a drill. Not a threat. Actual bombs, actual fires, actual
casualties. The death tracker is sitting at 2,076 killed in Iran, 24 in Israel, 13 US soldiers, and 27 in Gulf states. And it’s still moving.
Iran says they shot down two American fighter jets. One pilot is still missing.
So yeah. This is real.
But here’s what the mainstream news won’t say clearly:
This conflict isn’t just military. It’s economic. It’s always been economic.
The Gulf region produces roughly 30% of the world’s oil. Iran’s petrochemical infrastructure just got hit. The UAE’s Habshan gas facility — one of the largest in the world — took damage
from an intercepted missile. One person is dead there. Fires are still burning.
You know what happens when that region lights up? Energy prices spike. Supply chains tighten. Everything you buy gets more expensive. Groceries. Gas. Shipping. Manufacturing. Everything.
And Trump already told you the quiet part out loud: “With more time, the US can ‘take the oil’ in Iran.”
There it is.
This was never just about nukes. It’s about who controls the world’s energy supply. It’s the same playbook they ran in Iraq in 2003. The same one they used in Libya. You been watching this
movie before. The script hasn’t changed — only the actors.
What should YOU do?
First — understand that Black and brown communities always absorb the shockwaves of these conflicts hardest. When gas prices go up, it’s not the hedge fund manager who feels it. It’s the
person commuting two hours to work. It’s the small business owner buying inventory. It’s you.
Second — stop treating geopolitics like a spectator sport. This is a wealth transfer moment. Every major conflict reshapes who has economic power afterward. The question is: are you on the
receiving end, or are you repositioning?
Free action you can take today: Pull up your investment accounts and check your exposure to energy stocks, defense contractors, and commodity funds. Even if you’ve got $500 in a Roth IRA,
this matters. Energy prices moving 20% affects every sector. Know where your money lives.
The world just shifted. The ones who understand that will be fine. The ones who don’t will wonder why everything got harder and nobody told them.
Stay alert. Stay building.
RelentlessAaron.net — no filter, no fluff.
Question: Do you think the US going into Iran is about security — or about resources? Drop it in the comments. Real talk only. Leave the comment on my facebook @relentlessaaron thx
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Misato Sano’s studio is replete with piles of wooden offcuts, heavy lumber, woodworking equipment, and flowing natural light. The Miyagi-based artist has been sculpting charismatic dogs for several years, steadily adding more distinct characters to her growing pack.
Self-portraiture remains a consistent theme within Sano’s practice. Each dog evokes a different emotion mirroring the artist’s personality, ranging from shy and skittish to excited and silly. “Visualizing my inner self through expressions and gestures full of charm and humor has also become an opportunity to deepen my self-love,” she shares.
Sano’s distinctive woodcarving techniques are exemplary of the artist’s signature style. Dimpled surfaces, for instance, evoke different types of dog coats and allow for color variance to come through upon the finishing application of oil paint. Working with camphor wood, the sculptural exaggeration of physical features such as limbs, bulbous tufts of fur, and even nails add to the body of work’s playful appeal.
These rhythmic textures and amusing design choices have also lent themselves to explorations of embroidery and illustration. Meditative stitches and repetitive, gridded ink drawings are a continuation of the artist’s dialogue with herself.
Sano is gearing up for an exciting year. Later this month, her work will be on view in a duo exhibition at the Kan Hai Art Museum in Taiwan. In August, the artist’s work is traveling to the states for Nucleus Portland’s 10th anniversary show, before a third exhibition at Igoone Arai in her native Miyagi, Japan. Keep up with the artist’s tail-wagging adventures by following her on Instagram.
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