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The Trump administration's proposal to exclude government spending from GDP calculations could have significant implications for economic reporting and policy-making.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has indicated that government expenditure might be separated from gross domestic product (GDP) figures. This approach could obscure a critical indicator of the U.S. economy's health, as government spending typically plays a crucial role in GDP calculations.

This also appears to be a characteristic approach of Putin's regime.

Across social media platforms, U.S. military branches are removing content to be in compliance with President Donald Trump's executive order to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion from the armed services.

A patch made from lab-grown muscle cells boosted heart function in monkeys with cardiovascular disease and is now being tested in humans

Weeee

archive link: https://archive.ph/4XuVz Long read so here's a summary:

The Ukraine War has revealed several surprises:

War returned to Europe despite expectations of permanent peace The conflict primarily involves the US and Russia rather than European powers Ukraine showed unexpected resilience Russia demonstrated economic resilience against sanctions Europe showed geopolitical and economic passivity

According to Todd, the European Union's problems stem from the Maastricht Treaty, which:

Led to deindustrialization Created a quasi-religious faith in the euro Resulted in loss of national sovereignty Produced political passivity and resignation among citizens Encouraged elites to reject nationalism in favor of "Europeanism"

On the United States, Todd argues:

America has transitioned from world's factory to world's largest consumer The US is losing its technological edge to China in several areas The dollar's global dominance may be threatened by BRICS expansion and de-dollarization efforts American education is declining, particularly in STEM fields The decline of Protestantism has removed the moral center of American power

Todd's analysis of Western decline includes several factors:

The rise of neoliberalism has led to destruction of industries and social structures Educational regression in the West Loss of industrial capacity Increasing inequality and social atomization Technology stagnation outside of IT

The reviewer notes that Todd's main weakness is excessive pessimism that may overlook possibilities for renewal and adaptation in an uncertain era. This 2024 book appears to synthesize Todd's long-standing contrarian views about Western decline, particularly focusing on how the Ukraine war has exposed underlying weaknesses in Western economic and political systems.

https://archive.ph/btyqh

Ya'll this was not on my bingo card ...