Greetings and welcome to the Monday, April the 13th, 2026 edition of the Daily Article podcast from Denison Forum.

I'm narrator Chris Elkins, giving voice to today's daily article authored by Chief Vision Officer and co-founder Dr. Jim Denison.

U.S. stock futures fell and oil prices rose this morning after President Trump announced a

blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

His statement came after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach an agreement that would end the

war.

In better news, Russia and Ukraine observed a truce in their war across the

Orthodox Easter weekend. However, a spokesman for Vladimir Putin ruled out extending the

ceasefire beyond Sunday. Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? You won't be surprised to learn that

apparently unsolvable problems like war not only cause

significant stress, but worrying about them also impairs cognitive functioning and makes

things worse.

I presume this is why counselors typically focus on stress management techniques we can control,

such as deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation.

However, many people seem not to know that there is a cause of anxiety which underlies nearly all our stress,

like worrying about unsolvable problems, attempting to control it only makes it worse.

But when we choose the opposite of control,

we discover the transforming hope available to every anxious heart today, including yours.

Historian Joseph J. Ellis, in his book, American Dialogue, The Founders and Us,

discusses what John Adams defined as the central problem of political science.

According to Adams, quote, in every society known to man, an aristocracy has risen up in the

course of time, consisting of a few rich and honorable families who have been united with each other

...