August 7, 2026

Economic Bad News

Aaron amplified alarming jobs report data from economist Justin Wolfers, which showed the U.S. lost 23,000 jobs in March — far below expectations of +80,000 — along with significant downward revisions to prior months. The numbers pointed to a substantially weakening labor market.

Geopolitics

Aaron reposted commentary on a striking new defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, invoking collective defense language reminiscent of NATO's Article 5 — and signed while Saudi Arabia is already under attack. The post raised urgent questions about whether the agreement could draw those countries into active conflict with Yemen, Iraq, or Iran.

Domestic Politics and DOGE Outrage

Aaron shared a post describing a deeply offensive moment at the CDC, where DOGE staff were reportedly overheard saying "Welcome to the party" during a plaque dedication ceremony for an officer killed in last year's attack on the agency. He also reposted commentary on NIMBYism in New York City, where moderate city council members were reportedly working to block a pro-housing appointee by Zohran Mamdani, prompting the observation that NIMBYism attaches itself to whatever political faction is convenient rather than tracking neatly onto ideological lines.

Amazon's Energy Footprint

Aaron reposted a scoop from Clean View Newsletter reporting that Amazon is secretly backing what could be the largest gas power plant ever built in the United States, confirmed after the reporter spoke directly with the company.

Books

Aaron commented on some books he'd been enjoying, noting they were "filled with seething rage and the powerful assholes who are destroying us for their own amusement" — adding that the theme resonates right now. He also reposted author T. Kingfisher noting that she had submitted her novel Wolf Worm in 2023, before the subject matter became culturally relevant.