Jock O’Connell
@jockoconnell.bsky.social
International trade economist at Beacon Economics and Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Studied arithmetic at the London School of Economics and University of Vienna. Studied Latin under New England Jesuits. Holder of Irish passport.
Looks like Hegseth has found himself a general who will unhesitatingly obey an order from Trump to shoot unarmed protesters.
Exclusive | Hegseth’s Pick for Top Army Job Is Losing Republican Support
Some lawmakers and experts say Gen. Christopher LaNeve lacks experience at the four-star level.
wsj.com
Trump: My deal with Iran is so much better than Obama’s. His didn’t provide for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Stocks Open at Record High as Oil Falls on Hopes of Iran Deal
The price of Brent crude oil fell sharply
nytimes.com
What promises of personal favors did Tillis and Cornyn receive in return for allowing themselves to be played? And do they really think Trump will honored those promises?
Todd Blanche Wins Over G.O.P. Holdouts on AG Confirmation After Assurances on Trump IRS Deal
Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis expressed support after Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, issued a memo abandoning part of a deal the Justice Department had struck with President Trump.
nytimes.com
Trump: Guys, we obviously need a major PR distraction. Hegseth, what’ya got? Hegseth:Nothing, sir, we’re totally outa bullets. If the Apaches attack now, we’re finished.
Trump Administration Live Updates: President Convenes Cabinet in Camp David Amid War and Inflation
nytimes.com
Gentlemen, we obviously need a major distraction. Hegseth, what do you got? Cuba, Greenland, Canada?
Trump Live Updates: Camp David Meeting, Israel-Hamas Disarmament Deal and More News
nytimes.com
In other words, we’re out of bullets. If elite Chinese troops hiding in shipping containers invade through the Ports of Los Angeles and Tacoma tomorrow, they’ll control everything west of the Rockies by Wednesday.
Trump Holds Off on Major War Escalation Against Iran as Advisers Raise Concerns
Among the worries is that expanded hostilities could dangerously drain the diminished stockpile of air defense munitions in the Middle East.
nytimes.com
Will other nations now get to impose tariffs on U.S. citing treatment of farm laborers and workers at meat packing companies?
Trump finalizes new tariffs on dozens of countries
The announcement comes ahead of the Friday expiration of a current 10 percent global duty.
politico.com
Trump got a call from Natanyahu reminding him who is in charge.
Trump Live Updates: President Says U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal ‘Subject to’ Normalizing Relations With Israel
nytimes.com
Just wondering how many millions the Saudis paid the Trump-Kushner family for this deal?
Why is a proposed US-Saudi nuclear pact causing alarm in Washington and the Middle East?
The Trump administration backs a nuclear energy pact with Riyadh allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium and process spent atomic fuel, two sources have said, a move that may worry regional states con...
ajot.com
Fixed Headline: “Trump Increases Tax Americans Will Pay For Canadian Goods”
Trump Is Squeezing Canada. Don’t Expect Carney to Roll Over.
The president’s new tariffs on a top U.S. trading partner aim at gaining concessions, but the Canadian government, and the public, have been bracing for the escalation.
nytimes.com
Is Microsoft having a meltdown? Passwords created just a couple of months ago do not work today.
How can they have found thousands of non-citizens on the voter rolls in California when the courts have denied them access to California’s voter rolls?
Ahead of Trump speech, DHS says it found thousands of noncitizens on voter rolls
A draft press release viewed by POLITICO said noncitizens were registered in California, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
politico.com
Nobody knows more about wildfires than Donald Trump.
Trump Threatens Canada With Tariffs for Wildfire Smoke Over U.S.
The president said on Friday in a social media post that Canada was failing to manage its wildfire response as smoke has blanketed U.S. cities including New York and Chicago.
nytimes.com
There are FCC regulations on what words cannot be uttered on television…and then there’s the televised remarks of the President of the United States.
So we’re re-obliterating military installations we obliterated at the onset of this war?
Two Days of U.S. Strikes in Iran Signal a Sharp Escalation
U.S. forces hit more than 170 targets, including air defense systems, drone and missile storage sites, and military speedboats.
nytimes.com
Just wanted everyone to know that I won’t be seeking the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. Senate in my home state of Maine.
So the Camelot Cult takes another well-justified hit.
Schlossberg’s Defeat Dampens Dream of a Renewed Camelot
nytimes.com
Why aren’t more progressive parents naming their children Adlai?
Here’s an example of what the maritime trade analysts call “front loading”. It’s the practice of getting your orders delivered before tariffs or transport charges go up. Christmas, for those keeping score at home, is six months away.
Conservative California business organization backs Democrat for governor.
CalChamber Endorses Xavier Becerra for Governor
For Immediate Release Contact: John Myers john.myers@calchamber.com | press@calchamber.com (June 11, 2026) Sacramento, CA – The California Chamber of
advocacy.calchamber.com
96 years ago today, President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act into law.
Happy Bloomsday! Today’s menu is the inner organs of beasts and fowls, eaten with relish.
Okay, folks: The big El Niño update is now out on Weather West! This sure looks like it's going to be a dramatic year from a global climate perspective, and there are major implications for extreme events (across California, the U.S. West, & well beyond).
Special update: Rising odds of a strong-to-historic El Niño event in 2026, with growing likelihood of significant regional-to-global scale impacts - Weather West
June 11, 2026 - Daniel Swain - A quick refresher: What is El Niño and how can it affect global weather patterns? El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a semi-regular recurring cycle that transfers vast amounts of heat and momentum from the tropical Pacific to the global atmosphere. It is triggered every 3–7 years when the #
weatherwest.com
U.S. foreign trade statistics for the month of April are expected to be released by the Commerce Department tomorrow morning. April is normally the month each year when trade data are revised and updated. Cue the trolls who will argue the numbers have been rigged.
April U.S. foreign trade statistics arrive on Tuesday.
Daddy, did the U.S. have an Attorney General between Bill Barr and Pam Bondi? Yes, Susie, his name was Merrick “Tip-Toe” Garland.
ATTENTION MEDIA: Our Delta pilot is currently advising us that all gates in Delta’s ATL terminal are locked because the City of Atlanta decided to run a fire drill during rush hour at America’s busiest airport. We have been stuck on our arriving flight from PWM for nearly 30 minutes now.
