05-01-26 spal
OSINT observers in Fujairah report a sudden "emptying out" of the anchorage.
The Observation: In the last hour, four major commercial tankers—including two carrying LNG destined for the EU—have pulled anchor and are steaming East, away from the Strait. |
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05-01-26 spal
Aviation enthusiasts (ADSB-Exchange) have tracked a U.S. Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint (an electronic signals intelligence aircraft) performing an aggressive "orbit" just outside Iranian airspace near Bandar Abbas.
The Activity: The aircraft has been in the air for over 9 hours, supported by three consecutive mid-air refuelings (KC-135 tankers) over the last two hours.
The Read: Continuous, high-intensity signals monitoring of the IRGC-N's coastal missile batteries suggests that the U.S. is "painting" the target list. They are waiting for the Iranian radar to "ping," which is the final step before a SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) strike package is launched. |
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05-01-26 carib
| Thanks Spal for the update. |
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05-01-26 spal
Key Private Holdings in BST
Beyond Anthropic, the trust’s most substantial private equity allocations include:
Databricks (~5.2%): This is one of BST's largest overall positions (public or private). Databricks is a leader in unified data and AI, providing the "Lakehouse" platform that many Fortune 500 companies use to build their own AI models.
Anduril Industries (~5.1%): A defense technology company focused on autonomous systems, AI-powered border surveillance, and drone defense. It is currently one of the highest-weighted private holdings in the trust. |
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05-01-26 spal
| The 45-minute briefing was likely a walkthrough of "Operation Epic Fury" Phase II. The move to incorporate ground forces to "open the Strait" suggests the administration has given up on a naval-only solution and is preparing for a physical occupation of key chokepoints to break the blockade. |
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05-01-26 spal
| Leaks from the briefing suggest CENTCOM has presented a plan to seize portions of the Strait of Hormuz using ground forces. This is a massive escalation from simple naval escorts and is intended to physically remove Iranian IRGC-N boarding teams from the waterway. |
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05-01-26 spal
The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was tracked late last night in the Northern Arabian Sea, moving at 20.3 knots on a 256° course (heading West/Southwest toward the Gulf of Oman). This puts the strike group in a "launch box" that can support ground operations in the Strait of Hormuz within hours.
20.3 knots |
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05-01-26 spal
BST
BlackRock Science and Technology Trust
Slight pivot from oilers into BST ... appears undervalued ... has an Anthropic position inside it.
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05-01-26 pillz
White House declines to comment on new Iran proposal
The White House said on Friday that it will not detail private diplomatic affairs when asked about Iran's new proposal to the United States, which was submitted to Pakistani mediators.
"We do not detail private diplomatic conversations. President Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and negotiations continue to ensure the short- and long-term national security of the United States,” |
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05-01-26 victor
did dt forget about spain already?
and he's now targeting germany?
//
I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States. The Tariff will be increased to 25%. It is fully understood and agreed that, if they produce Cars and Trucks in U.S.A. Plants, there will be NO TARIFF. Many Automobile and Truck Plants are currently under construction, with over 100 Billion Dollars being invested, A RECORD in the History of Car and Truck Manufacturing. These Plants, staffed with American Workers, will be opening soon — There has never been anything like what is happening in America today! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP
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05-01-26 savo
| liquidity pillz... even if they do not cut nominal rates... real rates are going down as inflation goes up...and are now real negative...so corps with pricing power make more revenues... and that is all anals look at. |
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05-01-26 pillz
| and sp500 and qqq breaks daily records.. , how it is possible ?? |
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05-01-26 pillz
US President Donald Trump believes that the Islamic regime in Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it ever acquired one, he said during an interview with Newsmax's Greta Van Susteren on Thursday.
"I will tell you that Iran would use the nuclear weapon if they had it. I deal with these people. I know people. They will use their nuclear weapons, and we're not going to give them a chance to do it," Trump said.
"We have to have guarantees they will never have a nuclear weapon," he added. |
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05-01-26 pillz
| Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, also appears to be useful in treating people with alcohol addiction, according to a new study. Previous studies have suggested that the drug can help fight different types of addiction. |
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05-01-26 spal
| Vic - yes - BS^2 probably. |
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05-01-26 victor
spal, right.
but they could also be bullsh*tting, so the iranians think an attack is imminent. |
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05-01-26 spal
| Historically, when JCS and CENTCOM chiefs pull a President for nearly an hour mid-week, it’s to sign off on Rules of Engagement (ROE) changes. |
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05-01-26 spal
According to Axios, the U.S. Central Command chief and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman briefed Trump for 45 minutes.
45 minutes is either a genuine concern or theater. If it's real, the read is that military brass sees something operationally urgent enough to pull Trump from the schedule mid-week. If it's leaked for optics, someone's hedging on what comes next. |
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05-01-26 victor
what's the deal?
dt doesn't have the required voted in Congress?
//
House Speaker Mike Johnson says the U.S. is 'not at war' with Iran as White House approaches 60-day deadline
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday that it is not necessary for Congress to weigh in on the Trump administration’s military action in Iran because the United States is currently “not at war.”
“I don’t think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that. Right now, we are trying to broker a peace,” Johnson told NBC News in the Capitol. “I would be very reluctant to get in front of the administration in the midst of these very sensitive negotiations, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.”
His comments come as the ongoing military conflict with Iran nears the 60-day mark, a threshold outlined in the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which says that the president has to remove military forces from conflict within 60 days if Congress doesn't authorize a war before that deadline.
When pressed about the 60-day deadline, which falls on Friday, Johnson specifically said, “We are not at war.”
He went on to say: “We’re policing the Strait of Hormuz and trying to get a peace. The president and the administration are moving as aggressively as possible. There’s nothing Congress can do to move that along any further, so we’ll see how it plays out. That is my position.”
The 1973 law also gives presidents the power to ask for a 30-day extension, though it's unclear whether President Donald Trump plans to do so this week.
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05-01-26 panasonic
"dissatisfied"
Meaning he is not able to get desired results OR he should not conduct any negotiation with US? |
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04-30-26 carib
| Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have reportedly been dissatisfied with the way Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has conducted diplomacy and negotiations and are calling for his dismissal, Iran International reported on Thursday, citing two informed sources. (JP) |
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04-30-26 carib
| Pill: time will tell (if re-bombard). |
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04-30-26 spaldo
US considers retreat from Germany after Merz statements
Criticism from Merz and European leaders is raising the level of conflict and serves Trump’s strategy better than Europe’s own interests. Here’s why.
April 30, 2026 |
https://samfunnogpolitikk.no/en/international-politics/iran-criticism-from-german-chancellor-merz-backfires-and-strengthens-trumps-strategy |
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04-30-26 pillz
Trump answer?
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re bombard them.. till they understand that there is no other possibility ... |
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04-30-26 carib
Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to “prevent the enemy’s abuses” of the Strait of Hormuz and safeguard the country’s nuclear capabilities, after talks with the US reached a stalemate.
In a written statement, the leader — who has not been seen in public since he was appointed to take over from his father, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February — hailed Iran’s “new management” of the key waterway.
He said Iranians would defend their nuclear and missile capabilities, along with other technologies, as a “national asset” just as they would “defend their water, land, and aerial borders”, as the fate of the country’s nuclear programme sits at the heart of the deadlocked talks with the US.
Trump answer? |
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04-30-26 pillz
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04-30-26 panasonic
| Amzn growing "chips" biz. |
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04-30-26 panasonic
Nvda affected by Amzn growing biz.
I have both just in case. |
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04-30-26 panasonic
| Soxl on it's way to Mars. |
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04-30-26 panasonic
Google wonderful results, amzn good but gave back all profits and more.
Qcom mojo is back.
Tdy Apple earnings, not as important as used to be. |
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04-30-26 pillz
Schpal ,NO ,I am out of the diamond world already 10 years..
btw , I re-shorted puts of VLO today ... |
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04-30-26 spal
Lugarno story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_oJXKP7KYw&t=113s |
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04-30-26 spal
| Pilly - have you heard of Lugarno Diamonds and Moti Ferder? Quite the story ... Ferder ended up ripping off the owner of Lugarno (Compass Diversified) via a so-called Investment Diamond scheme. Very ruthless and tricky industry as you know. |
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