Dear patient readers,
If you see this note, it means I didn’t get back in time to complete the links before launch. Please return at 8:00 a.m. EDT for your full ration.
If Businesses Are People, Then Animals Should Be Too New Republic (furzy). It’s easier if the animals incorporate, then they get the benefits of being people. No arguments about intelligence, self-awareness, feeling pain and all that.
First article: A history of online public messaging ars technica (Dr Kevin)
Does the American Diabetes Association work for patients or businesses? A trial dared to ask Guardian (Dr. Kevin)
Politicians can use social media ads to buy votes for €4 per person New Scientist (Dr. Kevin)
Jack London, Martin Eden and liberal education in American life eon (Anthony L). Endangered
Climate/Environment
European summers will be hotter than expected due to cleaner air New Scientist (Dr. Kevin)
Methane emissions from gas flaring are hidden by satellite monitors Guardian (Dr. Kevin)
China?
It’s actually quite funny. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), probably the most hawkish think tank in the United States, unintentionally got this wrong, because if its adjustments to China’s defense spending are correct, that necessarily means that the same thing… https://t.co/tbumxY00n7
-Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) May 1, 2024
Old Blighty
Conservatives crushed by ‘worst local election result’ in years Goalkeeper (Kevin W)
Electile dysfunction causes the appearance of a performance policy in the Commons Guardian (Dr. Kevin)
The Brexit “bonfire of bureaucracy” for the right was nothing but wind and smoke. And even conservatives want more regulation now Goalkeeper (Kevin W)
Boris Johnson is barred from voting under his own voter ID rules Politico (Kevin W)
Gaza
“This militaristic approach was a failure”: Meet Hala Rharrit, the first US diplomat to resign over Gaza Democracy now. Glenn F.:
I don’t know if you’ve seen this or read the transcript that’s included, but this is one of the most impactful interviews on the Gaza conflict and the American lies rejected by our current administration.
It’s absolutely breathtaking.
A can of sardines falls from the sky ABC Australia (CC)
Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah risks killing hundreds of thousands, UN says
And Israel has briefed US on plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of possible operation in Rafah Associated Press (CC)Faced with unprecedented air defense challenges, Israel takes unusual step to withdraw Patriot missiles: friendly fire concerns raise concerns Military watch. This sounds a bit like “the dog ate my homework”.
Why was the order for interim measures in Nicaragua v. Germany significantly limits Germany’s ability to transfer weapons to Israel Stefan Talmon (foodie)
Demolition order issued for house of young Bedouin woman injured in attack in Iran, then canceled Times of Israel (Kevin W)
Democratic lawmakers tell Biden evidence shows Israel restricts aid to Gaza View Magazine (CC)
The collapse of Gaza’s health system is one of the goals of the Israeli genocide Mondoweiss (bottle)
Prominent Gaza doctor dies in Israeli prison after four months of detention ABC Australis (CC)
This must end
Netanyahu is blinded by rage, damaging long-term relationships and support for reckless actions. https://t.co/3YwkV9haU6
– Tim McDonald (@trmcdonald) May 2, 2024
Russia calls for independent international investigation into Gaza mass graves Defend democracy
Key Ways MAGA and Right-Wing Zionism Converge and Why Smotrich Embraces Trump Juan Cole (Randy K)
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech during a meeting with board members of the Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MÜSİAD) in Istanbul AK Party (CC). Erdogan’s remarks on suspending trade with Israel
Protests in Gaza
How UCLA Counterprotesters Sparked Uncontrolled Violence for an HourIt’s the New York Times. (BC). You know it’s bad when the Times deigns to notice something like this.
NYPD officer fires gun inside Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, Manhattan district attorney’s office confirms THE CITY (Kevin W)
Campus protests against Gaza war hit Australia Agence France Presse (CC)
JUDITH BUTLER WILL NOT CO-SIGN ISRAEL’S ALIBI FOR GENOCIDE Interception (furzy)
A new not-so-cold war
Trump develops plan for peaceful resolution in Ukraine — Telegraph TASS
kyiv has lost more than 111,000 troops this year, according to Moscow RT
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia pressure EU to end confiscation of Russian assets Sputnik
Macron; Europe in danger. A hacker says Ukraine is on the brink. 300 sanctions, Russia and China. Switzerland Minsk 3 Alex Christoforu, YouTube (Brian M)
Imperial Collapse Watch
Oppose all wars except the current one, support civil rights but never now Caitlin Johnstone (Kevin W)
A new not-so-cold war
SITREP 05/01/24: Russian steamroller continues as Ukraine braces for impact Simplicius the Thinker (Kevin W)
Kremlin criticizes Macron’s statement that possible sending troops to Ukraine is ‘very dangerous’ TASS (bottle)
Biden
Young Democrats warn Biden he must quickly change course The hill
Biden can’t afford a hot summer of protestsat CNN (Kevin W)
AI
GPT-4 passes the moral Turing test Scientific Reports (Dr. Kevin). Sigh. This is because he was trained for these “moral” tests.
Human pilots take on AI-controlled plane in real-world dogfight for the first time ZME Sciences. Air combat is World War II. Nowadays, aircraft are almost entirely faced with unmanned weapons.
Judge considers sanctions for Google’s ‘shocking’ destruction of internal chats technical art
Beak
Baby boomers are losing their entire savings to phone scammers pretending to provide tech support, officials say Fortune (furzy)
Guillotine Watch
It’s time to tax the billionaires Gabriel Zucman, New York Times
Class struggle
>New perspectives on income mobility from 2005 to 2019 Census.gov. Very clearly written and highlights winners and losers.
The long-anticipated consumer pushback is finally hitting restaurants like Starbucks, KFC and McDonald’s. CNBC (Kevin W)
The new usury: the revolution in repayment capacity in consumer financing Adam Levitin, credit reports
It’s the private economy that’s broken, not the federal government Douglad Lamont (Micael T)
Antidote of the day. Robert P.:
Fergus was adopted at ten years old and is now seventeen. Lives with me in Mesa, Arizona. This photo is intended to honor the recently deceased Arizona artist Ed Mell. See his book “Storm and Desert Wash” (2007).
And a bonus (bottle):
– Be amazed (@BeAmazd) April 24, 2024
See yesterday’s links and Antidote du Jour here.
