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US and Australia Sign Critical-Minerals Agreement

William Attardi on October 23, 2025

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical-minerals deal at the White Houseon Monday as the U.S. eyes the continent’s rich rare-earth resources at a time when China is imposing tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals abroad. The two leaders described the agreement as an $8.5 billion deal between the allies. Trump said it had been negotiated over several months. Earlier this month, Beijing announced that it will require foreign companies to get approval from the Chinese government to export magnets containing even trace amounts of rare-earth materials that originated from China or were produced with Chinese technology. The Trump administration says this gives China broad power over the global economy by controlling the tech supply chain. US and Australia Sign Critical-Minerals Agreement – electrifiED

How the United States Can Enhance Critical Minerals Supply

William Attardi on July 21, 2025

An action plan could help reduce the risk of market disruptions, enhance competitiveness, and reduce reliance on imports, fostering supply chain resilience. Of the 50 elements deemed critical to the American economy and national security by the U.S. Geological Survey,  the United States is 100% dependent on foreign suppliers for 12 of them and is more than 50% reliant on non-domestic sources for another 29.  The Trump administration has made critical minerals security a key component of its energy-focused strategy, evident by several recent executive orders. By following a targeted strategy and working with industry toward the achievement of a set of common objectives, the U.S. government can make tangible and measurable progress toward its goal to promote U.S. critical mineral security and move from being a primary consumer and price-taker in a nontransparent market to being a supply maker in a transparent and resilient market. How the United States Can Enhance Critical Minerals Supply – WSJ

Telling Time – 12-hour time is a very ancient system that traces back to the Mesopotamian empires. They had a cultural fixation with the number 12, used a base-12 numerical system, and divided up most things into 12ths whenever possible – including day and night. The 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night system spread throughout Europe and the Middle East and has defied multiple attempts to change it over the centuries. Also, for anyone curious as to why there was such a love of the number 12, it was because that was how they counted on their hand. Look at your hand. Notice how each of your fingers minus your thumb has three easily identifiable parts to it. They used to count by using their thumb to count each part of the finger, much in the same way we count to 10 using our fingers today. So, 12 was the max you could count on one hand.