Episode #188: 14 October 2025

This episode surveys ten posts on policy, markets, AI, media, politics, and spaceflight. A Financial Times report says the Pentagon plans up to $1 billion for cobalt, antimony, and tantalum to rebuild a strategic stockpile and cut reliance on China, lifting some related mining names. Workplace AI coverage notes that tools lift output but reward high performers most, widening team gaps and shifting hiring toward senior roles. Markets chatter follows a resurfaced call that AI hype peaks when Broadcom nears Nvidia, now echoed by OpenAI’s 10GW accelerator deal with Broadcom. Developer talk splits tasks by model, Claude 4.5 for frontend UI and Codex-High for backend and refactoring, with public benchmarks and demos to match. Apple drops the plus, rebranding Apple TV+ to Apple TV, prompting concerns about confusion with the hardware line. ZeroHedge flags Bill Clinton crediting Donald Trump among mediators of the Gaza ceasefire that freed the last living Israeli hostages, a rare nod that still sparks partisan debate. A New York Post item tracks Powerball winner Edwin Castro buying fire damaged lots in Altadena at steep discounts, drawing praise for rebuilding plans and local criticism. OpenAI’s deal sheet grows, from the Stargate project to big chip commitments with Nvidia, AMD, Intel, TSMC, Microsoft, Oracle, and Broadcom, paired with renewed scrutiny over ethics and its structure. Donald Trump Jr. resurfaces a pledge from The View tied to the hostage release, while SpaceX tees up Starship Flight 11 with a prime time launch window and a swelling fan meme cycle.