Global Brief: May 11 – May 17
Trump and Xi agreed on a new strategic framework in Beijing. Days later, Israel and Lebanon sat down for their first peace talks. Three deals, one pattern.
Nick Dimmer
Nick Dimmer writes Life Sufficient, an independent publication on geopolitics, money, privacy, and resilience. A software engineer by background, he reads central bank documents and government reports so you don't have to.
Smart Home Security Risks: What IoT Actually Exposes
Smart home devices ship with weak defaults and rarely get patched. Here's what actually puts you at risk, and the five fixes that meaningfully help.
Global Brief: May 4 – May 10
The US broke Iran's Hormuz blockade while Russia threatened to strike Kyiv. Europe outlined an 800 billion euro independence plan. One pattern connects them all.
Europe's banks are more divided than you think — and the ECB just said so out loud
The ECB just told the European Commission its Banking Union is half-built. A 95% internal tariff, no shared deposit insurance, and a deregulation fight most Europeans know nothing about.
Global Brief: Apr 27 – May 3
Washington unleashed its biggest Iran sanctions week yet as Middle East energy prices reversed the ECB's progress on inflation. Three stories, one pattern.
Why the Dollar Goes to War: Understanding Today's Conflicts
Vietnam War spending broke the gold-backed dollar in 1971. Fifty years later, the same logic explains Venezuela, Iran, and the GENIUS Act in 2026.
Global Brief: Apr 20 – Apr 26
The Strait of Hormuz closed. Washington invoked wartime production powers. Brussels finalized €90B for Ukraine. One week, three permanent shifts.
Media Ownership and Narrative Control: Who Owns the News?
A handful of families, conglomerates, and asset managers shape what the world reads. Learn how media ownership works — and how to read past it.
Global Brief: Apr 13 – Apr 19
A 44-day Middle East war reshapes global energy markets as the US launches a naval blockade, historic Israel-Lebanon talks, and Iran sanctions blitz.
The EU's Quiet Overhaul of Retail Finance: Five Programs, One Perimeter
MiCA, MiFID II, DORA, PSD3, and the Retail Investment Strategy are reshaping EU retail finance into a single authorised perimeter. Here's how they fit together.
Permaculture Principles for Any Space
Permaculture isn't just for farms. Learn how to apply its core design principles in apartments, balconies, and small urban spaces to build real self-reliance.
The IMF's Middle East War Assessment — What the Energy Shock Means for the Global Economy
IMF Managing Director Georgieva warns the Middle East war has cut 13% of global oil and 20% of LNG flows, reshaping the economic outlook for every country.