Dear patient readers,
Your humble blogger does not feel very good. Not one of those horrible bugs, but a stress hangover. But sadly I am super stressed and no prospect of this getting any better :-(.
On film: A veteran finds healing, with help from an orphaned ocelot Christian Science Monitor
This wildlife rehabilitator rescued over 1,600 bats after they fell during Houston cold snap CNN (furzy)
Photos from space show 11,000 beavers are wreaking havoc on the Alaskan tundra as savagely as wildfire Business Insider
The politics of pain aeon
Legal Use of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Begins in Oregon New York Times
#COVID-19
Inglesby: “It’s incumbent on the United States and other countries to be prepared for whatever comes from biology, whether it’s from nature or from engineering or a laboratory accident”
As COVID turns 3, experts worry where next pandemic will come fromhttps://t.co/Y9h1KKBjFJ
— Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) January 2, 2023
Science/Medicine
What is true is that newer variants are more contagious. Aerosol may carry a higher viral load reducing the minimum *aerosol* inhalation volume required for transmission. You need a better mask. Earloop KF94/KN95s won’t do https://t.co/mcMXQPWbVN
— Dr Satoshi Akima FRACP 『秋間聰』 (@ToshiAkima) January 1, 2023
UK/Europe
Views from doctors working in the #NHSOnLifeSupport 🩺
Patients being cared for on floors. The elderly dying with the best dignity staff can provide them.. whilst waiting in the back of an ambulance for a hospital bed. Tears flow freely from staff.
Shared w/ permission pic.twitter.com/WDkOlbXPhE
— Becks 🩺 (@EmergencyMedDr) January 3, 2023
Asia
Bodies Pile Up in China as Covid Surge Overwhelms Crematoriums Bloomberg (ma)
Kamala Harris is demanding a negative COVID test if newly-elected senators want a photo taken with her during swearing-in ceremony on January 3 Daily Mail. GM: “Testing for us. Infections for you.”
Public Health Agencies Try to Restore Trust as They Fight Misinformation KHN. Nausea-producing. No concern about the lack of data to substantiate many if not most Covid policies, above all all vax v. a layered approach.
Climate/Environment
More than half of rural California now ranks ‘very high’ for wildfire hazard Los Angeles Times (guurst). From last week, still germane.
Wildfires in Colorado are growing more unpredictable. Officials have ignored the warnings KJCT
This $67BN High Speed Railway Will Change Asia YouTube (furzy)
Old Blighty
New Not-So-Cold War
With eye on Iran, Netanyahu wades into Ukraine war Indian Punchline (Kevin W)
Ukraine’s DEVASTATING Attack On Russian Barracks, $110 BILLION For Ukraine War Is 100% Corruption and Accusations Of CIA-Backed Sabotage Attacks INSIDE Russia! Aaron Mate guest hosting for Jimmy Dore. I wondered why Ollie North was suddenly getting some air time, since he has negative credibility. Turns out he has a book out. Even second tier publishers can get an author some media appearances for a week or two. Scott Ritter reaction: “If I were applying for a head coaching job, I wouldn’t bring up a list of my greatest defeats.”
💥💥My latest: Leaked files reveal a US spy firm and intelligence cutout involved in the Kerch Bridge bombing are supplying illegal spying tech to the British military, putting innocent civilians at risk💥💥https://t.co/p8ca1uaSdQ
— Kit Klarenberg (@KitKlarenberg) January 3, 2023
German lawmakers criticize gov’t silence on Nord Stream blasts Anadolu Agency
1st January 2023, monks and priests are not allowed by Ukrainian regime inside churches anymore -to pray in churches they prayed since they were built https://t.co/k7pTlHF5wh pic.twitter.com/SCKIwvGQVY
— Elena Evdokimova (@elenaevdokimov7) January 2, 2023
Makeveyvka strikes, Israel demurs on Russia/Ukraine & is Erdogan really pulling troops out of Syria? Mark Sleboda
Lula halts privatization of Brazil’s state companies – media RT
Syraqistan
Qassem Soleimani in Venezuela: The lesser known motive behind his assassination The Cradle (guurst)
Accompanied by police, Israeli settlers seize East Jerusalem land owned by Greek Orthodox Church Mondoweiss
Imperial Collapse Watch
big if true. not just all of indo-pacom, i wud guess. just the japan-related bits https://t.co/J4lOHaHwv0
— chinahand (@chinahand) December 31, 2022
GOP Clown Car
Kevin McCarthy loses three rounds of votes to be US House Speaker Financial Times
Matt Gaetz is accusing Kevin McCarthy of squatting in the speaker’s office before he’s even got the job Business Insider
I’m not a current member of Congress, but I do know what’s at stake. I’d gladly serve as speaker of the House for one term to show people the kind of legislative body we can have if someone at the top actually cares about involving every representative in the work of legislating.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 3, 2023
SBF and the Injustice Democrats: How SBF, AIPAC and pro-Trump billionaires coordinated to crush the left Max Berger (Tom H)
Our No Longer Free Press
Twitter Files: Twitter and the FBI “Belly Button” Matt Taibbi
“Dear Private Sector Partner,” https://t.co/g8lxbAPyyd
— chinahand (@chinahand) January 4, 2023
Musk’s Twitter to lift ban on political ads ‘in coming weeks’ Politico
Mastodon: A Social Media Platform Dominated By Pedophiles & Child Porn SecJuice (Anthony L). ???? From last year, still germane. Seems well substantiated.
L’affaire Jeffrey Epstein
Another Quid Pro Joe? Epstein-targeting Virgin Islands prosecutor is swiftly fired after Biden arrives in town The Dossier (Kevin W)
JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank seek dismissal of lawsuits by Jeffrey Epstein accusers Reuters
Supply Chain/Inflation
Lumber Prices and Lumber Futures Menzie Chinn
The Bezzle
Joint Statement on Crypto-Asset Risks to Banking Organizations Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Ouch.
Sam Bankman-Fried Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Fraud Charges In New York CNBC
Judge orders Sam Bankman-Fried to be blocked from accessing or transferring any FTX or Alameda assets Business Insider
How The Airline Industry Became A Living Nightmare The Lever
United said it had this woman’s missing bag. She tracked it to a residential address CNN (Kevin W)
Internet Providers Warn Against EU Plans To Make Big Tech Cover Telcos Costs Reuters
Google alleges India antitrust body copied parts of EU order on Android abuse Reuters
Guillotine Watch
US Billionaire’s New Year Fireworks Start Wildfire in New Zealand Sputnik (Kevin W)
Class Warfare
Microsoft recognises first labour union in US BBC (Kevin W)
City to Pay $135K to Homeless Man Dragged Off Subway by Cops THE CITY
UK rail workers resume strikes as Network Rail declares sell-out deal within “touching distance” WSWS
Antidote du jour:
And a bonus (furzy):
— Ink Blot (@inkblotistan) January 2, 2023
And a second bonus (furzy):
Cats are liquid.. 😂 pic.twitter.com/DBOJWJpA7y
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) January 2, 2023
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
