Guarded with Thailand’s ‘Anti-Monkey Unit’ fighting to keep monkeys at bay in Lopburi ABC Australia (Kevin W)
What explains the differences in sexual feelings between us? aeon (Chuck L)
What happens to the sad? Scientists investigate New Scientist (Micael T)
Shocking idea: how East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ drinking glasses The Guardian (Kevin W)
World’s largest 3D-printed space nears completion in Texas Reuters (Kevin W)
Bite-sized Tick Threats Your Local Epidemiologist (Dr. Kevin)
#Covid 19
TO CONTINUE! Parts of China seeing resurgence of COVID-19 driven by new Delta and Omicron brands. XDV.1 Thailand Medical News (IM Doc)
Weather/Environment
Zhidan district in Shaanxi, China, has been hit by floods. The heavy rain, which broke historical records with rainfall reaching 179.1 mm, occurred from the evening of August 8 to the morning of August 9 👀pic.twitter.com/XHCglntuM3
– Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) August 9, 2024
‘Cruisezilla’ cruise ships have doubled in size since 2000, environmental group warns CNN (Kevin W)
The new EU Action to Solve Plastic Waste is stupid, it will do nothing, it may not be productive and many people think it’s great anyway eugyppius (Micael T)
Avocado goldrush links US companies to Mexico deforestation crisis Reuters (Robin K)
By 2023 the world’s forests will cease to act as a carbon sink REDD Monitor (Micael T)
China?
This was well read by a former GM executive, analyzing the astonishing rapid rise of Chinese automakers and the resulting decline in sales of foreign automakers:
A key driver was the rise of EVs: “EV’s share of total vehicle sales…
– Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) August 7, 2024
Many airlines have also canceled flights to China The Street
TSMC Arizona is struggling to overcome the huge differences between the Taiwanese and US work culture of Tom’s Hardware. Micael T: “So all this American Talwan vs. China is about importing new management practices into the US?” Moi: Some of you may remember that Toyota entered into a joint venture with GM to take over GM’s worst factory, which included frequent absenteeism and drunkenness among its workers, as well as high disability rates. Toyota achieved above average plant performance for Toyota plants, which was much higher than GM’s standards.
Bangladesh
Regime change in Dhaka is a morality play MK Bhadrakumar, Deccan Herald (Chuck L)
Bangladesh as a color change on India’s doorstep Asia Times (Kevin W)
Gaza
‘Operation al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 307: At least 56 Palestinians killed across Gaza as Israel bombs two more schools in latest Mondoweiss massacre (guurst)
🚨 While the world reads the news as headlines, many fail to understand the full impact of Israel’s war, including the hunger, displacement, poverty, disease, and fear these children face. #Gaza ! pic.twitter.com/aZF6hcByAG
– Nour Naim نُور (@NourNaim88) August 9, 2024
Without military support, the collective administration of “humanitarian” living conditions is calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Gaza’s Palestinians as a group. Gaza is starving and left without needed medical aid (resulting in excessive deaths) for 10 months.
– Nicola Perugini (@PeruginiNic) August 8, 2024
The government-sponsored Chief Rabbis of Tampa Florida’s sister city Ashdod (Israel’s largest city, pop. 225,000) decree that women over the age of 9 cannot ride motorcycles and their voices cannot be heard on city buses, where they were there. they have been forced to sit in the back seats
— David Sheen (@davidsheen) August 8, 2024
Alaskan F-22 Fighters Forward to Support Israel Against Iran: Qatari Airbase Plays Host of Military Watch
US Approves Massive Arms Sales to Israel, Drops Leahy Sanctions Against Israeli Army’s Abuse Amid Continued Atrocities DAWN
Costs rise in US as it fights Houthi drones Politico
Airlines suspend flights as Middle East tensions rise Reuters
US accuses right-wing Israeli minister of ‘misleading’ comments on Gaza standoff in Financial Times. ZOMG, does the US think that sending reptilian spokesperson John Kirby against Smotrich, or any Israeli official, will make a difference? In fact, it will be well recognized as another admission of weakness.
The New Cold War
Ukraine SitRep: The Kursk Campaign Designed to Keep the War Going Month Alabama (Kevin W). Alexander Mercouris has an interesting idea as to why the Russians are caught flat-footed. He thinks that Russia saw a lot of power in the Sumy region, but thinking that it was for defensive purposes, that no one would be so dumb as to throw some of the best remaining units (at best) into the Hail Mary pass.
While the AFU’s Kursk offensive doesn’t look like a major operational or strategic threat, it’s still a bad, bad sign of things to come. One of the worst cases would be if the Ukrainian people accepted and internalized that the frontline was held for them, and decided…
– Russians with Attitude (@RWApodcast) August 8, 2024
Russia has begun evacuating people from parts of the region west of Lipetsk, after a “major attack” by Ukrainian planes, the governor of the region, Igor Artamonov, said. Reuters
Ukraine to release robot dogs on its front lines Agence France-Presse (Li)
Big Brother Watching Watching
Comments from TSA on Tulsi Gabbard and “Quiet Skies” Matt Taibbi
Russia’s Biometric Boom Faces Rising Data Security Fears Find The Net. Micael T: “Looks like Russia is also in the midst of a WEF dystopia.”
10 years after the death of Michael Brown, the operation of the police team’s camera is still difficult Axios
DHS Prioritizes Investigation of FAM Spokespersons for Exploitation of Silent Sky Surveillance UncoverDC (crazy)
Trump
Post-Liberal Catholics Find Their Man in JD Vance Atlantic (crazy)
Trump calls Tim Walz ‘crazy,’ escalating attacks on Dem ticket Politico. Trump is still on his marks.
Kamala
Kamala was too scared to go to dinner and needed some training.
This is a woman in her late 50s.
Amazing.
He couldn’t throw a dinner party. They did not allow him to do an interview. pic.twitter.com/reB7wrAaKq
– Rich Expert (@feelsdesperate) August 8, 2024
‘Uncommitted’ leaders want Harris to restore Israel arms deal for approval The Detroit News (ma)
From Aaron Bushnell to “I Talk” in Five Months Caitlin Johnstone (Kevin W)
Ours is No Longer Free
More on Scott Ritter, Ukraine and Israel and my interview with Iranian Professor Larry Johnson (confused). Linked to Ritter’s discussion but other parts also have merit.
20 months in prison for a Facebook post is insane. The UK has fallen. pic.twitter.com/duT8y8oVQn
– End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 9, 2024
Mr. Market Usozi
Global financial markets enter ‘yo-yo pattern’ after Monday’s collapse City AM
Decline in US consumer spending weighs on travel and leisure groups Financial Times
Do the math. The risks of recession are increasing. Washington Post
Another signal of a recession: Credit card usage is falling sharply. FXStreet
Abortion
Judge to rule on whether Alabama can prosecute abortion providers out of state The Hill
Not being trusted
Google’s antitrust solution should turn off surveillance, not democratize it in Pluralistic (Chuck L)
Elon Musk’s IX is suing advertisers for allegedly ‘boycotting a major advertiser’ after taking ABC on Twitter. if they are together, which suggests having a company called an org, it is a trade blockade and Musk, despite his battles, will be responsible.
Corporate liability scheme for advertisers after lawsuit from Musk’s X Guardian (crazy). Looking guilty. Explosive Account of X and Rumble’s Lawsuit Topples Alleged Censorship Cartel Reclaim the Net (Micael T)
The AI
Google DeepMind builds ‘solidlyamateur’ table tennis robot TechCrunch (Dr. Kevin)
Bezzle
Intel, the weak link in the Bidenomics chip system, turns to financial engineering to collect billions of fabs. Adam Tooze (Paul R)
Apple’s new charging cables have ruined my life. Welcome to Charging Cord Hell. Business Insider (Kevin W)
USPS Text Scammers Scammed His Wife, So He Hacked Their Operation
ATM Software Bugs Left Stacks of Cash for Anyone Who Knew to Look Wired (Kevin W)
Class War
State Behemoth Devours Global Economy Bloomberg
Germany could partially make key weapons maker – media RT (Kevin W)
Antidote du jour. Tracie H:
The owner of this extremely gentle young man that my husband and I met at a local coffee shop told us that everywhere they go this guy is adored by all the waiters and baristas.
And a bonus (Chuck L):
This made my day! pic.twitter.com/uhY4CQhmar
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) August 7, 2024
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
