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1. Bindu's Corner: This week, Bindu brings us contemplations on the mind from great thinkers.
2. The Next Gen: I have a lot of catching up to do with William George, all the work he and his team at Import Genius put out to the world, and his busy schedule of roving around the world.
3. Bragging Rights: This week, I'm bragging on recent graduate Jake Anderson, the son of my friends Remi and Matt Anderson.
4. Nature: Wildlife SOS, a non-profit in India dedicated to preserving India's natural heritage, has developed a low-cost, effective method to rescue and reunite stray leopard cubs with their mother, helping them maintain their place in a changing ecosystem.
5. Memorial Day: Next Monday is Memorial Day, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has posted a webpage with a comprehensive listing of national and state observances and events. I recommend participating in a local Wear Blue: Run to Remember 5k on Monday to honor those who have given the greatest sacrifice in service to their country.
6. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.: I have the latest post from Dr. Fox's blog and a video from the Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge website.
| | Now, to this week's Flock. | | 1. Bindu's Corner: The Mind | | |
“When the mind is stilled, when the intellect is stilled, that is called the highest state by the wise.”
—The Upanishads
“The mind is like a restless child, it wants to run away. You must bring it back again and again and apply it to the meditation on the Lord. Go on this way for two or three years, and then an inexpressible joy will fill your mind”
—Swami Brahmananda
“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”
—Chuang Tse
“Your mind may be likened to an incubator which provides the proper conditions for thoughts to grow. It matters not the thought, be it positive or negative, if concentrated upon sufficiently, it will flourish.”
— Shantidasa
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
— Albert Einstein
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2. The Next Gen: Catching up with William George
| | William George, the Flock's favorite shipping and trade data analyst and his team at ImportGenius have been kept very busy this spring staying on top of the combined effects of the US's universal tariffs and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on world trade. in February, I posted about ImportGenius contributing background data to investigative journalists from The Telegraph exposing how China was heling Russia bypass western sanctions to aquire military technology, and a state-owned Russian bank's practice of shipping banknotes directly to Iran's central bank going around sactions against Iran. In April, his research was cited in a New York Times lead business story on how international suppliers are manipulating the value of their shipments to avoid high tariffs, and he was interviewed on Chinese TV about the fate of the tariff program. The post below is a roundup of recent stories from publications around the world that the ImportGenius team has contributed to, followed by William's pick for what to watch for in the near future. | | ImportGenius makes headlines in March and April 2026 | |
This issue of Tradebreaker, featuring news stories enabled by ImportGenius research and data in March and April 2026, highlights how global trade is becoming more opaque. As tariffs, sanctions and geopolitical tensions reshape supply chains around the world, manifest-level trade data has become increasingly difficult to track.
Despite the challenges, ImportGenius research was able to:
- Expose how companies manipulate shipment records and routing practices to evade tariffs.
- Reveal how Chinese vehicle technology is already entering the U.S.
- Track the Iran war’s impact on global trade.
- Trace the international trade networks behind environmental destruction, surveillance technology and unsafe medicines.
Looking Ahead
News to watch: The IG research team’s picks.
William’s Pick: Europe’s running out of airplane fuel; what will happen to our holidays? - EU Observer - Wester van Gaal | The jet fuel crunch is one of the most immediate and significant disruptions to business as usual outside of the Gulf in the event of an extended Hormuz strait closure. This piece breaks down Europe’s reliance on imported jet fuel and its limited ability to source more — and points out that a shortage in Europe affects all carriers who land there. Global commercial aviation relies upon global access to reliable and reasonably priced jet fuel, and a country-by-country disruption of jet fuel availability will have cascading effects on passenger and freight aviation.
| | William has co-authored a white paper published by the Hinrich Foundation that illuminates the effect of the Strait of Hormuz blockade on the economies of China, Japan, and Vietnam. | How the Hormuz blockade hits Asia: Evaluating the chokepoint effect on China, Japan, and Vietnam | From: the Hinrich Foundation, By: William George and Lynn HUghes, May 19, 2026 | |
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz shows how fundamental energy security and feedstock diversification are to sovereignty in a multipolar world. The strait’s closure played very differently in three of Asia’s key economies. China’s enormous reserves insulated the chokepoint shock, as Japan depends more on US energy. Vietnam, dependent on Gulf ethylene, naphtha, and crude oil to supply both the US and China, may now turn to Chinese renewables and EVs.
The 2026 Iran War has precipitated a polycrisis, every aspect of which triggers cascading, mutually reinforcing knock-on effects. The Strait of Hormuz carries 20 million barrels of oil transit a day when open; that is a quarter of the total global maritime oil trade, 80% of which is bound for Asia. If the Hormuz crisis shows anything, it is that energy security and petrochemical feedstock diversification have become fundamental components of sovereignty in an increasingly multipolar world. This report distills the broad impact of the strait's closure on how the supply constriction hit three key Asian economies: China, Japan, and Vietnam.
| Sunset over the Pacific Ocean | | I have often described William as the Flock's roving data analyst, well, this spring, he's been doing plenty of roving. At the end of January, he and ImportGenius's CEO were in Boston visiting the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, where faculty and Master's program students presented their capstone projects. From there, he headed across the country to the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where he took these photos. Next, he's headed to the DataHarvest conference in Mechelen, Belgium. | | Fairy Lake Bonsai Tree outside Port Renfrew, Vancouver island | | Ammonite Falls on Benson Creek near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island | | 3. Bragging Rights: Jake Anderson | | In this edition of Bragging Rights, I'm bragging on super achiever Jake Anderson, the son of good friends and Flock readers, Remi and Matt. Jake just received his Business degree from California Lutheran University. During his college years, Jake competed as a captain on the Cal Lutheran tennis team. He also excelled academically and was asked to serve as the Undergraduate Speaker at the Business School's graduation ceremony. I'm sure Jake is headed to great things. | | Jake delivers his speech to fellow graduates at the Business School Graduation Ceremony. | | Jake receives his diploma during the Commencement Ceremony. | | The family gather after the commencement ceremony. | | Jake with his parents and the family's little 'best friend', posing for a photo on the Cal Lutheran tennis courts. | | 4. Nature: Reuniting Lost Leopard Cubs with Their Mother | | As India's population continues to grow, wilderness and habitat for the nation's wildlife are shrinking, pushing leopards out of the forests and jungles and often into farmers' fields. Leopard cubs can easily be separated from their mother in tall corn and sugarcane fields. Wildlife SOS works with local farmers to place cubs found in their fields in simple wooden boxes close to where they were separated from their mother. These can be monitored and reunited with the mother when she returns to look for her cub. | | When leopard cubs get separated from their mother, these wildlife experts step in with 'overnight boxes.' They've saved over 100 cubs | | |
Leopards need our help. While they’re not considered “endangered” on a global scale, several species (Amur, Arabian, and West African leopards) are critically endangered. And across South Asia, leopards at large have grown increasingly vulnerable.
“Leopards are found throughout India. India is the most populated country in the world, so their natural habitat is shrinking,” Nikki Sharp, the executive director of Wildlife SOS-USA, told Good Good Good.
Sharp explained that habitat degradation has forced leopards to adapt to the changing landscape, “where there are people and farmland.”
Shrinking habitats force leopardesses to roam widely when they hunt, increasing the time between their separation. Additionally, as habitat loss pushes wildlife closer to people, leopard cubs are increasingly being found in sugarcane and cornfields, which leopards use for cover and shelter.
During harvest, well-meaning farmers may move the cubs beyond the fields, unintentionally separating them from their mothers.
“Wildlife SOS works to reunite them by carefully placing the cubs back where they were found and monitoring [them] from a distance, so the mother can locate them by their cries,” Wildlife SOS said in a statement. “In most cases, she returns within just a few nights.”
When abandoned cubs are found, experts examine the young for health issues. Then they place the cubs in a “safe box” and monitor them from afar until the mother can return.
“We have been doing these cub reunifications successfully for over 15 years,” Sharp said. “Cubs learn from their mother for up to two years, and without this education, they won't survive on their own.”
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“Wildlife SOS operates a rescue center for leopards, so if the mothers do not return for their young, the cubs are brought there to receive lifelong care,” she continued.
“However, over 95% of the attempts have been successful,” she stressed. “That is over 100 cubs who remain in the wild.”
| A 45-Day-Old Leopard Cub Reunited With Mother | |
5. Memorial Day: May 25, 2026
| | I can't believe it is already Memorial Day weekend. If you are taking a trip, please be careful on your drive. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a comprehensive listing of state observances and national events for Monday. Wear Blue: Run to Remember is a national non-profit that organizes 5K community runs across the country every Memorial Day, where participants carry the name of a fallen service member to honor their memory. | | Memorial Day observances and events across the nation | | |
VA invites Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors and the public to honor fallen service members by attending Memorial Day ceremonies at VA National Cemeteries and surrounding communities across the country.
The Memorial Day events and observances listed below will continue to be updated until May 22, 2026. We encourage visitors to verify the event details with the host organization linked.
Those unable to attend events in person may still honor a fallen service member by leaving a tribute on the Veterans Legacy Memorial site. There, you can view the stories, decorations and interment locations of over 10 million Veterans.
| | Wear Blue: Run to Remembrer | | |
Wear Blue: Run to Remember is a national nonprofit that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military while supporting the families who live with that loss every day. We serve Gold Star and Surviving families, veterans, and the communities who stand beside them by bringing people together through active remembrance. Through our programs, we create spaces where names are spoken, stories are shared, and miles are taken with purpose, whether at a Community Run, a major marathon, or a youth mentorship gathering. By combining community, movement, and remembrance, we help families feel seen, supported, and never alone.
Through every run, mile, and mentorship moment, wear blue turns remembrance into action. Our programs strengthen Gold Star and Surviving families, empower youth, and unite communities so no one carries their loss alone and every fallen hero is honored by name and by movement.
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“For over fifteen years, wear blue has been a gathering ground. It’s where connection takes root, where healing begins, and where ordinary people are reminded of their strength through the power of community.”
–Lisa Hallett, CEO & Co-Founder
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6. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.: From Dr. Fox's Blog
| | This week, I want to remind the Flock that Dr. Fox has a whole selection of videos on the Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge. He also has a YouTube channel, so if you enjoy the video below, please visit his channel, like the video, and subscribe to the channel. | | These Flock regulars are always here for you: | | Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories! | | I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story. | | Subscriptions & Idea Submissions
Reminder: Your submissions are always welcomed. | | |
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Your fan and friend,
Beth
| | | The information and materials contained or referenced in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before beginning a new health care regimen. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical advice or care based on anything contained in this newsletter. | | | | |
