Before GPS, before satellites, navigators crossed oceans by reasoning from what they already knew — their last confirmed position, their speed, their heading. No landmarks. No certainty. Just disciplined pattern analysis and the willingness to follow logic wherever it led. They called it dead reckoning.
That’s this column.
Not every story that looks like fraud is fraud. Not every politician who looks irrational is irrational. Not every institutional failure is an accident. Dead Reckoning examines the patterns beneath the obvious explanation — the internal logic that drives behavior everyone else is misreading, the framework hiding in plain sight, the current pulling events in a direction nobody bothered to chart.
The mission: When the standard explanation doesn’t hold, Dead Reckoning does the navigating.
A Brooding Federal Interest
The Supreme Court will hear Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, a significant climate case affecting fossil fuel companies. The Court must determine if federal law prevents Boulder from pursuing state tort claims against these firms for climate-related damages. The case touches upon critical issues of state versus federal authority and potential implications for similar lawsuits…
Bring Your Own Power
The Senate stalled the Ratepayer Protection Act, which aimed to make major tech companies bear the costs of grid upgrades they trigger. While the bill passed the House overwhelmingly, it failed to gain sufficient support in the Senate. The debate highlights political divisions over rising energy costs and the impact of data centers on utility…
The Entry-Level Apocalypse That the Data Won’t Quite Confirm
The consensus is growing that artificial intelligence is impacting entry-level white-collar jobs, with companies cutting junior positions. However, research shows the trend involves raising experience requirements rather than outright job loss. While concerns about the job market are valid, claims of AI-induced job apocalypse lack solid evidence and often come from conflicted sources.
What Actually Counts Toward the FBI’s Riptide Numbers
The FBI’s “Operation Riptide” resulted in over 200 arrests, $50 million in seized assets, and the extradition of six suspects. However, questions arise regarding the timeframe of arrests, accounting methods for financial figures, and the distinction between FBI and partner agency contributions. Clarity on these metrics is needed for transparency.
The Hike Nobody in the White House Wanted
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in three years, targeting a range of 3.75%-4.00%, with expectations for another hike by year’s end. This hike reflects a strong economy rather than a failing one, although some inflation pressures relate to current administration policies. The next FOMC meeting is critical, coinciding with the…
When the Pool Closes, Everyone Gets Out of the Water
Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico produced the predictable lawsuit. The bigger development came when the five-network presidential TV pool suspended coverage rather than replace CNN — exposing a sharp split between institutional conservative media and parts of Trump’s online media ecosystem.
Two Coasts, One Ceiling
Republican candidates Steve Hilton in California and Dan Cox in Maryland face significant polling deficits against their Democratic opponents. Both struggle to convert discontent with incumbents into voter support due to entrenched party identification. While Hilton attempts to distance himself from Trump’s influence, Cox’s strategy lacks the same proactive appeal, limiting his effectiveness.
The Brotherhood That Would Not Break
On September 11, 2001, 403 New York first responders died running toward the disaster. Twenty-five years later, more than 600 FDNY members have also died from illnesses linked to Ground Zero. This is the story of the brotherhood that absorbed an unimaginable loss — and kept answering the bell.
Two Sites, One Fall: A Personal Reckoning with September 11
Twenty-five years after September 11, a personal reckoning with Ground Zero, the Pentagon, a wounded New York City, and the people and moments that kept connecting one life to that morning long after the smoke cleared.
A Year After Kirk: Is the Rate Actually Up, or Is the Coverage Just Louder?
A year after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the numbers show a genuine rise in threats and targeted violence. What they don’t show is an unprecedented era of political bloodshed—or that every high-profile death belongs in the same statistical bucket.
Dead Reckoning: The Post-9/11 Security State, Twenty-Five Years On
The article examines the lasting impact of post-9/11 security measures, particularly focusing on the Department of Homeland Security and its shift towards immigration enforcement. While some policies have been rolled back, such as bulk phone metadata collection, many core structures remain intact or have adapted to new purposes without proper reassessment by Congress, illustrating an…
The Vacancy Behind the Anchor Desk
Recent industry shifts show how AI is justifying job cuts in newsrooms, music, and freelance writing. Major companies like E.W. Scripps have reduced staff citing AI-driven efficiencies, while music platforms face declining payouts due to increased AI-generated content. This trend raises questions about accountability and the real motivations behind layoffs.
The Odds Are Everywhere Now. Are They Any Good?
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket present real-time odds on elections, raising questions about their accuracy and legal status. While some studies suggest they may predict outcomes comparably to polls, biases and the influence of large traders complicate interpretation. Legal battles are ongoing, affecting their future operations.
The Private Sector Grew. Government Shrank. The Headline Blurred Both.
The U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, primarily due to a 53,000 decrease in local government employment, particularly in education. However, private payrolls rose by 30,000. This complex picture indicates a cooling labor market, with misleading headline statistics overshadowing the nuances of private sector growth and labor force participation decline.
Dead Reckoning: After Barbara, Trump Charts a Narrower Course on Citizenship
President Trump signed two executive orders targeting commercial birth tourism and tightening citizenship eligibility for children of foreign enemies. This move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling asserting that children born in the U.S. are automatically citizens, despite their parents’ immigration status. The orders aim to enforce existing regulations with more rigor.
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