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Custom-Made Aquarium Gives Cat Front-Row Seat to Watching Fish My Modern Met (David L)
Crocodile with tyre around neck freed after six years BBC (furzy)
This Community In Denmark Lives In Surreal Circle Gardens Bored Panda. Kevin W: “You have to see the images to believe them. Related to this is an article, also in Denmark, at https://wonderfulengineering.com/the-surreal-round-shaped-community-gardens-of-copenhagen/
Earth’s water was around before Earth PhysOrg
These Animals Are Feasting on the Ruins of an Extinct World Atlantic (Kevin W)
Decoding Dickens’s Secret Notes to Himself, One Symbol at a Time New York Times (David L)
#COVID-19
Sask. COVID-19 dashboard goes dark in transition to ‘Living with COVID’ CTV (GM). So if you don’t measure it, it doesn’t exist? Will pols next try that with hunger and teen pregnancy?
Science/Medicine
Boston University epidemiologist Dr. Eleanor Murray speaks on COVID-19 and endemicity WSWS
Some long Covid patients see improvement, but full recovery is elusive STAT (fk)
Let’s check in on Sweden’s ?? natural infection herd immunity strategy of their mass-infection patron saint Tegnell… ?? chasing 85% population antibody immunity after suffering an epic 100-year record high excess mortality did jack squat. #COVID19 https://t.co/VL0FoQc30G
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 9, 2022
Johnson & Johnson stops Covid-19 vaccine production – NYT RT (Kevin W)
Asia
Coronavirus Hong Kong: new cases expected to top 1,100 amid exponential spike South China Morning Post (J-LS)
US
Blue states move to drop mask mandates Axios
The Doctor Will See You Now—Wait, Not You Wall Street Journal
America Still Isn’t Ready for the Next Pandemic Atlantic (Kevin W). “Next”?
Right-Wing Americans Want In on Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ Vice
Climate/Enviroment
Please see the rest of this chart from ritholtz.com (hat tip resilc). The tradeoff between less carbon use and other environmental costs looks worse than even yours truly had feared.
Mountain glaciers may hold less ice than previously thought – here’s what that means for 2 billion downstream water users and sea level rise The Conversation
Some rare good news: Sharp decline in reported severity of ocean acidification impacts on fish behaviour PhysOrg (Robert M). Shellfish get no respect? The biggest impact of acidification is to make it difficult to impossible for shellfish to make shells.
China?
China’s Great Wall plows into Brazil as Daimler and Ford flee Asia Times
China Winter Olympics: Athletes complain about isolation ‘horror’ Daily Mail. Resilc: “Whining assholes
Hope is dead in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria……..”.
Brexit
Tied in knots: Despairing fishing fleet bound up by red tape after Brexit Sunday Post. Guurst calls this “Long Brexit.”
Finally I just want to quantify the extra cost here. Pre-Brexit paperwork was FREE and really simple. Post Brexit 6 new paperwork requirements 1 old. Logistics from £165 per pallet to £405. New full time staff member to deal with this circus . Result big inflation on wine! #Brexit
— Daniel Lambert (Wines). ????????????? (@DanielLambert29) February 8, 2022
NI Protocol: Who needs Article 16 when crisis prevails? Tony Connelly, RTE. From earlier this week, still germane.
The dangerous end of Northern Ireland’s Unionist Ascendancy Philip Stephens (guurst)
12. The Canadian political class is weak and naive. The entire purpose of it is dividing up the spoils in a country that is considered to be rich, stable and peaceful as just the natural, unwavering order of things. It’s not. Our leaders and whole governments are clueless.
— Matt Gurney (@mattgurney) February 6, 2022
The Cutting Room Files, Part 3: The Future of Canada Peter Zeihan (resilc)
Millions face hunger in Horn of Africa as drought worsens: UN Al Jazeera
New Cold War
The fatigue factor: the ongoing marathon of European diplomacy is a useless distraction Gilbert Doctorow (guurst). Important. Macron showed up with effectively no plan. And consider:
The whole issue of reducing the Russian troop numbers was dealt with by Macron and his spokesmen as if that by itself would reduce the chances of armed conflict breaking out at any moment. The issue of the 150,000 Ukrainian forces massed at the border with Donbas and armed to the teeth with new Western toys for the boys was not addressed in any way by Mr. Macron, whereas it is precisely that which explains the Russian troop concentrations on their side of the border and explains why the bulk of the Russians are not leaving any time soon. We heard from Macron only upbeat and empty remarks on how the Normandy Format would be continued in further efforts to implement the Minsk Accords.
Putin Wants His Own Monroe Doctrine Antiwar
Revisiting Russia’s 5th and, especially, 6th columns The Saker
Germany, US show ‘disunity’ on Russia policy, says expert DW
From WhiteHouse.gov (guurst):
PRESIDENT BIDEN: The first question first. If Germany — if Russia invades — that means tanks or troops crossing the — the border of Ukraine again — then there will be — we — there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.
Q: But how will you — how will you do that exactly, since the project and control of the project is within Germany’s control?
PRESIDENT BIDEN: We will — I promise you, we’ll be able to do it.
Going to War with Russia Over Ukraine May Be Suicide for America – Larry Johnson Turcopilier (Chuck L). From a few days back. May be useful in attempting to communicate with those who haven’t questioned the senseless rush to war.
We must do everything possible to avoid an enormously destructive war in Ukraine Bernie Sanders Guardian (furzy). The fact that this op-ed ran in the UK and not any US outlet speaks volumes.
Why is a regional security collective with Russia so hard to imagine? Responsible Statecraft
Cryptocurrency Is Funding Ukraine’s Defense—and Its Hacktivists Wired (resilc)
Syraqistan
US: Houthis Must Accept Yemen War Is Unwinnable Antiwar. Moi: The stupid, it burns. Kevin W: “(Picard facepalm) They don’t have to win. They only have to not lose and outlast their enemies
In response to Syria defending itself from our attack, we just attacked Syria again. https://t.co/G9pCZIEXKF
— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) February 9, 2022
Imperial Collapse Watch
The Middle East is a self-perpetuating cycle of conflict and arms sales Responsible Statecraft (resilc). Confirming reader suspicions.
US gunning for nuclear edge in military satellite race Asia Times (Kevin W)
US defense to its workforce: Nuclear war can be won Bulletin of the Nuclear Scientists (guurst)
Biden
US Refinery Outages Are Another Headache For Biden OilPrice. Resilc: “Caused by Putin for sure….ABC news this morning harping on oil prices UP! because of uUkraine….non stop propaganda.”
ICYMI: Supreme Court, in 5-4 Vote, Restores Alabama’s Congressional Voting Map New York Times (Kevin W) and Comment on US Supreme Court Ruling in Alabama Redistricting Case ACLU of Alabama (furzy)
GOP Clown Car
McConnell calls Jan. 6 a ‘violent insurrection,’ breaking with RNC NBC (resilc)
In his fight against ‘woke’ schools, DeSantis tears at the seams of a diverse Florida Stamford Advocate
How Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” Could Be Exported in the War Against the Right to Vote New Republic (resilc)
Gunz
Gun-waving St. Louis couple placed on probation as lawyers Politico. Total train wrecks in gun safety. Should have put their guns on probation…and for a lot longer…
Big Oil Has a Plan to Turn Appalachia Into Hydrogen Country Vice (resilc)
Ecological lawsuits are creating an unlikely alliance between marginalized communities and investment funds—with the potential for enormous payouts https://t.co/NbgMZZnKxx via @BW
— Bloomberg (@business) February 9, 2022
The Bezzle
As Automakers Add Technology to Cars, Software Bugs Follow New York Times
US arrests couple for allegedly laundering $4.5BN in Bitcoin Al Jazeera
Class Warfare
Starbucks fires Memphis workers involved in unionization efforts. New York Times (resilc)
The coming backlash against growth and jobs The Week (resilc)
Opioid Overdose Deaths Cost US Economy $1 Trillion A Year, Study Finds Forbes
Antidote du jour (ChetG):
And a bonus. Tracie H:
This was taken through a windshield, and so may be too faint.
We were driving along Pacific Coast Highway when a couple of motorcycles overtook us. One had this especially attractive passenger.
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
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