Daily review 14/07/2026

3 comments on “Daily review 14/07/2026 ”

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1. Dennis Frank 1

   14 July 2026 at 6:28 pm

   Goodbye Pickaxe Mountain? https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-says-us-will-take-out-pickaxe-mountain-iran-2026-07-13/

   "We're going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ​ready," Trump said in an interview on the Hugh ​Hewitt Show. Pickaxe Mountain, located ​near Iran's heavily damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility, is ​a heavily fortified site that hosts two deeply buried tunnel complexes that ‌experts ⁠assess as beyond the reach of the most powerful bunker buster bombs in the U.S. arsenal.

   Goodie, another Trump reality tv show. Hegemon vs experts, oughta be fun. T also has money in mind, no surprise:

   Speaking later Monday at the White House, Trump said he wanted the US to be reimbursed by Gulf countries in the region for working to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Iranian attacks there, as he provided new details on his administration doing an about-face and suggesting it will charge tolls for ships going through the key waterway, after previously suggesting that it wouldn’t. “I want to be reimbursed because we’re protecting a very rich portion of the world. We’re spending money, so… we are going to be reimbursed for protection,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, singling out Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait as countries that the US has protected… Trump spoke about the US “protecting allies… including Israel, including Saudi Arabia, including Qatar, including UAE. We’re protecting all of them, and we’ve done a very effective job.”

   https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-weighs-taking-out-pickaxe-nuclear-site-as-us-strikes-iran-for-3rd-night-in-a-row/

   Yet he doesn't actually say protection money, in the hope that nobody will connect the dots. Meanwhile, back to the circus…

   “Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door,” Trump said in an interview on “The Hugh ​Hewitt Show” Monday afternoon. “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ​ready.”

   Experts ⁠have assessed, however, that the depth of the facility means America’s most powerful bunker buster bombs are unlikely to penetrate it. The site is buried up to 2,000 feet below granite and is suspected to be housing uranium enrichment capabilities and stockpiles. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5966603-trump-threatens-pickaxe-mountain-iran/

   So unless they intend to try out a new bomb combo for penetration, could just be a superficial clearance of the entryway and surroundings for show…

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2. Muttonbird 2

   14 July 2026 at 8:25 pm

   Intensification around a new CRL station already being watered down:

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/regions/717949/number-of-high-rises-near-new-auckland-train-station-could-be-slashed

   There's also some fretting about recent violence near Mercury Lane's Karangahape station.

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/crime-and-justice/715841/fears-crime-in-central-auckland-could-spoil-city-rail-link-s-reputation

   I'm all for the CRL but I do wonder about the placement of this particular station if authorities are going to limit residential construction around it. It's on the lower side of the currently mothballed Mercury Theatre and opposite Cross St which is basically a Wilson's carpark full of drug users and dealers. On the southern side is the motorway so no building there.

   One thing which will ensure a railway station is used to full effect and the area safe for families and workers is high density residential proximity and access. Just let it happen.

   Edit: Apologies, the Karangahape station entrance down Mercury Lane is one entrance to this station, the other is up on Beresford Square.

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3. ttlestandin 3

   30 July 2026 at 8:58 pm

   I like the idea of a daily review because it creates a simple record of what people have noticed, experienced, or learned. From experience, these threads work best when people share observations rather than simply reacting to them. A little patience and kindness can make a big difference in keeping the discussion constructive.

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/regions/717949/number-snake game-of-high-rises-near-new-auckland-train-station-could-be-slashed

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