Hola Libertinus,

We’ve been deep in the lab, cooking up something big. No hazmat suits (…yet, anyway), but let’s just say the operation’s expanding—and the product’s gonna be pure. Not quite ready for primetime, but soon.

In the meantime, we’re doing something a little different.

Grab a drink, settle in, and welcome to the first installment of “Signals”—a curated roundup of the week’s most unhinged, underreported, or just plain overlooked headlines.

Less like reading the news... and more like intercepting a transmission from the bunker next door.

📡 S I G N A L S

India-Pakistan Conflict Set to Heat Up, and Dry Out

Limited conventional conflict seems a likely outcome of the current spat between India and Pakistan, but I am skeptical of it having broader impact. India's threats of cutting off water supply to Pakistan via the Indus River does ring some alarm bells for me though, and I suspect the international community will have a heightened sense of awareness of where they get their water from moving forward. On the bright side, Democrats and Republicans haven't made the US public pick sides based on political identity yet like they have for the last few conflicts, but there's still time. ~West

DARPA’s In Your Jet Fuel?

RFK Jr., during a town hall with Dr. Phil, confirmed what Infowars types have been screaming into the void for years: stratospheric aerosol injections might not just be a conspiracy theory. His words:

Now, whether you think this is tinfoil hat material or overdue transparency, one thing’s clear: the Overton window just shifted. ~Zack

Now Might be a Good Time to Stock up on Drugs

With things escalating in the trade war between the US and China, getting ahead of the curve is probably in your best interest. 80% of all active pharmaceutical ingredients, and 90% of active pharmaceutical ingredients for generic antibiotics come from China. Currently, drug imports aren't impacted by tariffs, but considering they are deemed important for national security, that could change. Even if pharmaceuticals don't become a victim to the trade war, public fear that they will may spur panic buying and subsequent shortages. ~West

The Teen-Disengagement Crisis (The Atlantic)

Teens are showing up, doing the homework, getting decent grades… and hating every minute of it. Only 26% of 10th graders say they love school. Most kids are in what researchers call “Passenger Mode.” Not failing. Not rebelling. Just coasting through a system that rewards memorization, not intelligence. We built an education system to produce obedient workers… and now we’re shocked when kids act like bored employees pretending to work? Maybe it’s time to rethink the assembly line. ~Zack

Critical Minerals Deal Signed with Ukraine

The long awaited critical minerals deal between the US and Ukraine appears to have finally gone through. In effect, the deal will be used to re-compensate the US for the ~$120 billion in US government spending on the war in Ukraine. I'm glad the dynamic between the US and Ukraine is shifting away from a "something for nothing" model, but am not holding my breath that this is any kind of signal the US will be decreasing it's debt to GDP ratio anytime soon. ~West

Ultraprocessed Foods High in Seed Oils Could Be Fueling Colon Cancer Risk (Scientific American)

Seed oils are garbage. You already knew that. But just in case you needed another reason to avoid the snack aisle—turns out these industrial lubricants (dolled up as “heart healthy”) might be stoking inflammation to the point of helping cancer set up shop in your colon. But don’t worry—Big Nutrition says it’s “complicated,” and we “need more research.” My take? If it comes from a GMO crop subsidized by the USDA, you probably shouldn’t eat it. ~Zack

Ian Bremmer Meets Sovereign Individual (GZERO)

You may be familiar with Ian Bremmer, center-left geopolitical commentator and founder of Eurasia Group. Ideologically, I often find myself disagreeing with Mr. Bremmer, but I respect him as an analyst and very much respect his ability to course-correct when he calls something incorrectly even when it goes against his biases (specifically, his negative outlook on Milei's ability to salvage the Argentinean economy and subsequent reversal of opinion comes to mind). The below selections from a recent newsletter from Bremmer struck me as strongly echoing the central thesis of the Sovereign Individual.

I tend to ascribe more weight to analyst's takes when they contradict the analyst's ideological biases. ~West

Superfoods of the Future, From Cockroach Milk to DNA-Personalized Meals (MIT Press)

The WEF crowd strikes again. First bugs. Now cockroach milk—a protein goo secreted by a Pacific beetle roach. Seriously. These people looked at steak, eggs, and butt chugging sunlight and said, “Nah, let’s go with industrial insect lactate squeezed from the gut of a glorified sewer beetle—coming soon to a wellness startup near you!” What will Klaus think of next?

Imminent Marsupial Invasion of US South, or Just a Warning?

Kangaroo found to be engaged in what appears to be an attempt to disrupt US critical infrastructure as Alabama highway shut down to pursue the creature. Is this a one-off reconnaissance/sabotage mission, or signs of things to come? I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm not sleeping on this one.

That’s it for this week.

Hope you enjoyed the first batch of Signals—our semi-organized attempt to help you see through the static and recalibrate your risk models.

Next time—scout’s honor—we’ll be back with part two of Zack’s depopulation piece, and West will share what he learned wandering through Bangkok, Kathmandu, and a few bad decisions.

As always, the goal isn’t to panic, it’s to pay attention.

Sic semper debitoribus
~ West & Zack

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