“World War III madness” is John’s theme this week — from mounting U.S. troop casualties and Iran’s rejection of the Qatari cease-fire proposal to a Fox News segment telling viewers to expect twenty more years of war.

Catherine and John walk the week’s stories: CentCom bombing commercial shipping, the Houthi maritime ban, Trump Media’s $100,000-a-month feed, SpaceX stock pumpers, Flock and Axon building the surveillance state, Kalshi bettors’ half-billion in losses, and Maryland’s first-in-the-nation ban on surveillance pricing.

Music: Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight”, Op. 27 No. 2, performed by Paul Pitman (public domain, Musopen).