The best neighbor imaginable.
Awww, how beautiful. pic.twitter.com/9bQwSVkEL1
β Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) August 21, 2024
Researchers capture video of wolf-dog hybrid in northern Minnesota MPRNews (Chuck L)
It looks like Audrey at first:
The Queen of the Night blooms only once a year – at the dead of night. Before dawn, the flower withers. It came to China from Mexico in 1645. But don’t throw this dead flower away: its medicinal properties make it popular throughout Asia. pic.twitter.com/BwLO4s1LI6
β Nury Vittachi (@NuryVittachi) August 22, 2024
New virus causing ‘wonder disease’ discovered in US – and could kill domestic and wild cats Independent (Robin K)
Long-hidden family scandal in Jamestown colony revealed 400 years later by ancient DNA CNN (Kevin W)
Where cars crash is the Economist’s point. I totally get this interest even though I’ve never been to a layoff debut. My favorite toy when I was little was a bumper car.
#Covid 19
GOOD NEWS: The US government has announced that it will once again offer free home Covid tests starting in late September.
You will be able to get 4 more test kits in the mail. pic.twitter.com/QuRiMbkk8f
β Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) August 23, 2024
COVID-19: Hospitalizations at highest level since winter
There are currently more than 1,200 people with COVID-19 in hospital in Quebec, and more than 30 are dying each week. with @mtlgazette– alan drummond (@alandrummond2) August 22, 2024
Climate/Environment
Amid Climate Change, Colorado Plans to Bring Back Wolverine Undark (Kevin W)
Water-Related Conflict on the Rise Globally, Study Finds Forbes
Cities are trying to reduce traffic. Other states are standing in their way. Yale Climate Connections
China?
China AI uses cloud services to game US chip sanctions Register
Advanced IC packaging is the next frontier in the chip wars Asia Times (Kevin W)
π¨π³ GRENADE-DRONE
A Chinese drone company has launched a remote-controlled “bomb” that can fly like a drone pic.twitter.com/i62Q6RiYuv
β Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) August 22, 2024
Xi-Starmer reading call Pekinology
The Koreans
Why North Korea might find the South’s new vision of unification provocative Discussion (Kevin W). This is a feature, not a bug. South Korea does not want reunification because it cannot afford it. Unification of West Germany and the GDR due to very low incomes in the GDR. It was very expensive and was “solved” by severe wage suppression. The gap between South Korea’s per capita income v. North Korea fell apart compared to West Germany and the GDR when the USSR collapsed. See Reuters in 2024, reporting on North Korea expansion in 2023:
North Korea’s national income in 2023 is estimated at 1.59 million ($1,147.56) per capita, which is just 3.4% of the South’s 47.25 million.
Aggressive Financial Expansion Kicks into Overdrive in Myanmar Irrawaddy
Africa
Fuel shortage disrupts economic activity as SMEs grapple with mounting losses The Sun (Nigeria)
Sudan: 20 Tons of Life Saving Medicines Airdropped teleSUR (Robin K)
The breakup of Europe
German Private Sector Contraction Deepens RTTNews
Germany’s left-wing extremist wants credit for restricting aid to Ukraine. Financial Times
Old Blighty
Nigel Farage could be the real winner if Labor lets young people vote Politico (Kevin W)
The Royal Society of Medicine welcomes ‘correction’ and cosmetic surgery The Times (Dr. Kevin)
Gaza
Gaza live: Mass killings across Gaza as Israeli forces force new evacuations Middle East Eye
Israeli opposition leader Lieberman says ‘no more food, no more supplies’ in Gaza Middle East Eye (guurst)
The money crisis worsens the already dire situation for the Palestinians in Gaza as all banks suspend operations The Associated Press.
****** Iran to beat Israel, ball is in court US-Israel Indian Punchline (Kevin W)
Iran’s response to Israel is coming, via Mohammad Marandi Electronic Intifada, YouTube
****** Greek oil tanker on fire and missing after multiple attacks in Red Sea Aljazeera (Kevin W)
The New Cold War
Despite the Russian Fumbles, Ukraine continues to Unspool Simplicius
Ukraine to start production of 155mm shells using Norwegian military technology Euromaidan (Robin K)
US announces new round of military aid for Ukraine Aljazeera. $125 million does not rise to the level of couch lint.
Here’s why Russia won’t talk to Ukraine RT (Robin K)
Putin kneels in front of Beslan’s monument, ‘The City of Angels’. Today was not a memorial day, that would happen later, on September 1st.
I believe that, during the current crisis, this place has a special significance for him and for Russia. Putin⦠pic.twitter.com/9vOx6JRtMC
– Russians with Attitude (@RWApodcast) August 20, 2024
Syracistan
Iraq and Turkiye: A strategic reorientation amid regional shifts in The Cradle
Big Brother Watching Watching
Microsoft plans Windows security fix after Financial Times blackout (Kevin W). This announcement is very late in coming.
Imperial Collapse Watch
The US Empire Is Losing Money In Europe. Will It Doom Europe Glenn Diesen (Micael T)
Navy Could Sideline 17 Support Ships Due to Personnel Issues USNI (Kevin W)
Airpower on budget: US to revive light fighter concept Asia Times (Kevin W)
Trump
IX and Meta Crew Meet MAGA Hub Sludge (TF)
I doubt this is a reference to anyone other than California health obsessives who have the time and money to eat only clean food (by their standards) and explore other treatments (IMHO that can help a lot but find good. methods and the doctors in them are often hit or miss) . That group isn’t big enough to run a campaign and I’m not sure it’s rich enough to even give it much momentum. But maybe all this talk about health is a conspiracy to make RFK, Jr. the head of the CIA, who can get him or Trump killed or whoever will hear it.
LISTEN π₯
Robert Kennedy Jr. he made an amazing speech at President Trump’s rally
“Don’t you want a president who will make America healthy again?” pic.twitter.com/itoEnVfJs6
β Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 24, 2024
However:
My old Dem friends have been flooding me with calls, texts, and emails. Unlike Ro, I wouldn’t dream of airing those secret conversations publicly, but the message is clear: they fear the idea of ββus meeting Donald Trump. If I point…
β Nicole Shanahan (@NicoleShanahan) August 22, 2024
Kamala
Harris’ Empty Words to Gaza Daniel Larison
The reason I am so critical of Democrats can be explained in the aphorism “The only thing necessary to defeat evil is for good people to do nothing.” The Democratic Party exists to ensure that good people will do nothing.
Gaza is a good example of this. Whenβ¦
β Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) August 23, 2024
Uncommitted Pennsylvania Voter: “He wasn’t clear enough about the policies… I don’t feel like he’s ready anymore. He has to wait. I don’t want to vote for a backup.” pic.twitter.com/KLcBDBiRow
β Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 23, 2024
“He can’t at all!” | Norman Finkelstein is not impressed with Kamala Harris Smart Cookies, YouTube (britzklieg). From two weeks ago but refreshingly.
The GOP Clown Car
Republican-led states challenge effort to help undocumented couples New York Times
Ours is No Longer Free
Has the Internet Left Left? Jacobin (Easy to use). I never knew “Left On The Internet” was a thing. Still, Sanders’ Democratic neutering success played a big role.
There can be no freedom without free speech Scott Ritter (Chuck L)
Not being trusted
Justice Department Sues RealPage, Says It Allowed Price Fixing on Rentals CBS
Mr. The Market Gets What It Wants
Fed’s Powell, on policy shift, says ‘time has come’ to cut rates Reuters (Kevin W)
The last great engine in the world economy is issuing the Telegraph
A rate cut won’t prevent a recession and the economy is collapsing ‘too fast,’ says Business Insider.
Moderate Consolidation Goes Down for First Time, in Bloomberg Markets Survey
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda warns global markets as ‘unstable’ Financial Times
Guillotine Watch
Elon Musk was recently forced to reveal who really owns X. Here is a list of Yahoo! Finance (Kevin W)
Class War
Canada forces arbitration in freight train workers dispute to avoid economic crisis. Union cries foul and later Canadian union threatens freight rail strike hours after trains resume Associated Press (Kevin W)
Rail Shutdowns Threaten Agriculture And Bill Gates Is Major Owner Of CN Rail Shares!! Odysee (DO)
“The Greeks can have holidays in the area, not on the islands,” said the Minister for Defense of Democracy (Micael T)
A Look Back at How Many People Have Filed for Bankruptcy Debt Slips
Antidote du jour. Tracie H: βThis is a skipper butterfly seen on a short trip to the beach town of Corona Del Mar (California) β the butterfly was kind enough to let me join its floral tourβ
Bonus (Chuck L):
When my wife asks me why I need heated glasses I send her this: pic.twitter.com/bExxJIiwTC
β Giga Based Dad (@GigaBasedDad) August 22, 2024
And the second bonus. The word “heroic” is used loosely in the US. This man took a real risk so IMHO the label fits:
This boy goes out into the frozen lake to rescue the dog
– Science Girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) August 21, 2024
And another bonus:
100% daddy’s boy πββ¬ pic.twitter.com/lw1ilBWDOv
– Why you should have a cat (@ShouldHaveCat) August 23, 2024
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.