Scientists Baffled: Webb Uncovers Ancient Galaxies That Defy Explanation SciTech Daily
Research finds humpbacks were happier during pandemic pause Phys.org
Great tits have a surprisingly good memory — and are much smarter than we thought ZME Science
A teen tech whiz nicknamed ‘God’s influencer’ will become the first millennial saint NPR
Climate/Environment
Copernicus: June 2024 marks 12th month of global temperature reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial Copernicus Climate Change Service. Graph:
Global impacts of heat and water stress on food production and severe food insecurity Scientific Reports
This used to be the world’s wheat belt, which fed billions. Not anymore.
Above 30 degrees Celsius wheat yield begins to drop by as much as 44%. This means that the dark spots on the map in India, China and US will suffer huge losses as farmers go broke and also would rather not… pic.twitter.com/gfKtDHTJpk
— George Tsakraklides (@99blackbaloons) July 5, 2024
What is a Just Transition? The Break Down
Ecuador court rules pollution violates rights of a river running through capital The Guardian
Pandemics
Fourth human case of bird flu diagnosed in Colorado dairy farm worker Source NM
Why Increased Testing Is Critical For The Bird Flu Forbes
As bird flu spreads on dairy farms, an ‘abysmal’ few workers are tested Iowa Capitol Dispatch
‘Adopt a Cow’ Program Brings Agriculture to the Classroom, Enrollment Open Until Sept. 15 Morning AgClips
***
GUESS WHAT?! A new study has shown SARS-CoV-2 infection is DISTINCT from common respiratory viruses!
Unequivocally, COVID is NOT “just a cold.”
These findings are HUGELY significant, for multiple reasons! Here’s a breakdown of the study (written for a general audience)…
1/16 pic.twitter.com/P7NJL2STJQ— Nick #AirborneCovidExhaustsTCells😷 Anderegg (@NickAnderegg) July 7, 2024
Africa
US troops leave Niger base at Niamey AFP
German army to abandon Niger airbase Al Arabiya
Canadian uranium miner’s shares dive after Niger pulls permit Financial Post
Japan
‘No update’ on US liberty policy as Okinawa roiled by troop indictments Stars and Stripes
Koike’s reelection unlikely to take pressure off PM Kishida Japan Today
The Koreas
Yoon set to travel to US for NATO summit with focus on Russia-N. Korea ties The Korea Herald
Samsung Electronics workers strike as union voice grows in South Korea Channel News Asia
South Korea to withdraw plan to suspend licenses of striking doctors to resolve medical impasse AP
China?
Japan, Philippines sign defence pact with eyes on China Al Jazeera
Backlash rising to Marcos Jr’s US-friendly policy pivot Asia Times
NATO needs to look toward Pacific because of current realities, Jens Stoltenberg says Politico
Why NATO Should Stay Out of Asia Foreign Affairs
Syraqistan
IDF Ordered Hannibal Directive on October 7 to Prevent Hamas Taking Soldiers Captive Haaretz
***
Netanyahu: Gaza deal must let Israel resume fighting until war goals met Reuters
Israel commits 43rd massacre in Gaza’s Nuseirat Camp since 7 October The Cradle
Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential The Lancet. “…it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186 000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.”
***
Hezbollah hits ‘main’ Israeli base near Tiberias in response to latest assassination The Cradle
Injured American citizen’s condition ‘worsening’ after Hezbollah missiles fired toward Israel CNN
European Disunion
Hungary’s Orban arrives in Beijing on ‘peace mission 3.0’ Deutsche Welle
New German defence budget slammed as ‘too low’ by critics Euractiv
Old Blighty
U.K. tech overtakes China, cementing its position as the world’s second-largest ecosystem by funding Fortune
Nobel winner warns UK of U.S.-style inequality risks Reuters
UK announces new military aid package for Ukraine Anadolu Agency
The centre cannot hold. The question is, what comes next? Funding the Future
La belle France
France’s leftist New Popular Front wins a shock victory – but now the hard part begins France 24
French elections: will Macron imitate the von der Leyen coalition? Euronews
I don’t think people realize that, even though both the centrist bloc and the left-wing bloc did much better than anticipated (thanks to the tacit alliance they made to beat the RN), we’re still headed toward the worst institutional crisis in decades.
— Philippe Lemoine (@phl43) July 7, 2024
France’s ‘hard left’ has been demonised – but its agenda is realistic, not radical Julia Cagé and Thomas Piketty, The Guardian
Le “Russia Rage” Tarik Cyril Amar
New Not-So-Cold War
Zelenskyy accuses Russia of ‘striking children’s hospital’ in Kyiv Anadolu Agency
Russia foils Ukraine bid to hijack Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, security service says Arab News
Netherlands promises Ukraine F16 fighter jets ‘without delay’ Channel News Asia
Ukraine’s airfields under fire as Russia braces for F-16s Kyiv Independent
Russian Blitz Makes Ukraine ‘Beg’ For Western Submarines After Warplanes Times of India
NATO needs to defeat Russia in the ammunition war Defense News
Investigation finds EU shell production capacity far below official statements Kyiv Independent
SCOTT RITTER: ‘My Life’s Work Melting Before My Eyes’ Consortium News
The Caribbean
China’s spy bases in Cuba could be key in a Taiwan war Asia Times
Cuban Media Report Dismantling of Terrorist Plan Against Cuba Organized From the US TeleSur
Biden
Biden’s Survival Plan: Decry ‘Elite’ Critics, Appeal to His Base Politico
Warner-led Senate Democrats meeting to discuss Biden called off Washington Examiner
Trump
National abortion ban splits the Trump campaign and Republican activists writing the party platform AP
2024
Van Jones: Democrats Are Running Kamala Harris For President One Way Or Another, Let’s Do It Right Real Clear Politics
Kamala Harris won’t save Democrats if she takes over for Biden, warns historian who correctly predicted 9 of the last 10 elections Business Insider
Is he wrong?
This election is even less “existentially important” than 2020, which was also not existentially important. The mutual partisan catastrophizing is just out of control. Biden and Trump have totally converged on MANY if not MOST key foreign and domestic policy issues. Stop deluding…
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) July 8, 2024
Is he right?
This year’s most important down-ballot election is in Nebraska, where Independent union leader Dan Osborn is mounting a populist challenge to the GOP incumbent.
The polls are close — and this is one race that has a real chance to change national politics.https://t.co/XETRfjUQfu https://t.co/PE5XL2Jifs
— Matt Karp 🌹🦏🇺🇸 (@karpmj) July 7, 2024
Democrats en déshabillé
No democratic options for undemocratic party Washington Examiner
‘Blitz primary’ could open up Democratic race if Biden drops out SEMAFOR
AI
This man’s family will be able to ‘engage’ with him even after his death Interesting Engineering.
Boeing
Boeing accepts a plea deal to avoid a criminal trial over 737 Max crashes, Justice Department says AP. Commentary:
Kill one person and you’re a monster who goes to prison for life. Kill 346 people for the sake of higher profits and you’re just a naughty little company who should learn their lesson with a slap on the wrist in the amount of 2.5x the retail price of a single plane that crashed.
— Fuck You I Quit (@fuckyouiquit) July 8, 2024
Boeing and Wall Street: How financialization wrecked a great company Seattle Times
United Airlines plane returns to Japan airport for emergency landing Kyodo News
The Bezzle
Police pulled over a Waymo car for driving in the oncoming lane The Verge
Cyclists can’t decide whether to fear or love self-driving cars WaPo
Our Famously Free Press
2nd local radio host says they were given questions ahead of Biden interview ABC News
Radio station parts ways with Biden interviewer for using questions sent in advance Politico
Class Warfare
Who gets the flow? Financial globalisation and wealth inequality Journal of Macroeconomics
The Great Neoliberal Burden Shift (Part I) – How Corporate America Offset Liability Onto the Public Workday Magazine
JUDGE ORDERS CHANGES TO LOUISIANA PRISON LABOR PROGRAM LIKENED TO ‘19TH CENTURY SLAVERY’ The Appeal
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
JOE BIDEN
(melody borrowed from Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel)
Send Joe home to old Delaware
Lost in his own internal rhyme
Let’s send him off with a shout and a prayer
We must stop this sad pantomime
Bring him his ice cream for every desert
(We need a break—and it must be clean)
Victim of a victimless crime
(The ship of state is now running aground)
Bring family around on days he’s alert
(We need cash—have you seen the accounting?)
Can’t pretend he’s still in his prime
(Billionaire donors are simply appalled)
Time for the grownups to take a firm stand
(We’ve no more tricks up our sleeves)
Time to launch a new paradigm
(Where is our back bench—Election Day nears)
Biden is gone so who’s in command?
(Biden thinks he’ll hit a home run)
Who will sign when Biden can’t sign?
Break this cabal that is clinging together
(A junta of neocon rapscallions)
Telling us their wars are sublime
(Why is he standing there frozen and still?)
Biden is lost at the end of his tether
(This campaign’s Godawful rotten)
Methinks it’s Kamala time
Send Joe off to old Delaware
And send Jill his partner in crime
Let them sort out their millions down there
They never were much more than small time
>>A junta of neocon rapscallions.
Perfect.
“Cyclists can’t decide whether to fear or love self-driving cars”
Elaine Herzberg remains unavailable for comment-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elaine_Herzberg
Can bicyclists even hear self-driving EV cars coming from behind?
At my late age, my eyesight continues to fail, but I am surprised at how well I can hear, especially considering my habit of many rock concerts in my younger days, the closer to the Marshall banks, the better. I can hear cars coming from a decent distance on the bike, but, at a certain point, it’s mostly tire noise (over 30mph) you’re hearing, not engines, if the exhaust isn’t “enhanced”. Teslas sound the same as Hondas. But, under 10mph, like a parking lot, dead quiet.
Right. As a cyclist I’ve always greatly depended greatly on hearing what’s behind me but of course that doesn’t work in heavy traffic no matter what kind of cars. This is one reason that these days I mostly ride around our quiet neighborhood or city trails. Cars of all types will always be a potential menace.
Cars are the least of my worries in the back of beyond as a practicing pedestrian, that is until they make a jalopy that’s only a few feet wide.
I only ride on trails now too. Among other things, cars are using bicycle lanes as right turn lanes.
A small helmet-mounted or eyeglass-attached rear-view mirror is a great aid to situational awareness.
Absolutely true. Although even with a rear view mirror, I admit to mostly haven given up cycling. I just don’t trust drivers enough. The total concentration and focus required to be situationally aware at all times means that a bike ride isn’t much fun these days. We occasionally ride the rail trail turned multi-use trail nearby but between walkers, dogs and occasional ATVs, they’re not much fun either.
Paved auto free trails are great although there the even quieter bicycles can become the menace to pedestrians. A new trend around here would be people using electric bikes on our trails–technically a violation–although these are perhaps no more of a menace than a fit racing cyclist.
That’s what we are seeing, the riverbank trails are now much more difficult with e-bikers zooming around, making the trails as exhausting as being in traffic. It’s just not as pleasant and relaxing.
Misleading title. “Self-driving cars can’t decide whether to avoid or run over cyclists.” There, fixed.
Robert Rubin, of all people, writes an op-ed in the NYT telling us that a second Trump term will be a great danger to our economy. You just can’t make this stuff up. I wonder if the average NYT reader even remembers so he was.
The Enormous Risks a Second Trump Term Poses to Our Economy https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/08/opinion/economic-risks-second-trump-term.html?smid=nytcore-android-share
Maybe Robert Rubin can get together again with Alan Greenspan and Lawrence Summers to form The Committee to Save the World 2.0
Maybe Robert Rubin Alan Greenspan Larry Summers can put on WIN buttons (Whip Inflation Now) and take a real look at inflation. I’m serious. As in, rising cost of healthcare insurance is NOT an addition to GDP but inflation pure and simple.
Meanwhile, Andrea Mitchell could help her husband out by reporting to us she uses almost the entirety of her Social Security checks to pay or her dry cleaning and makeup and wigs so she really gets how hard it is for us and knows what an issue inflation is.
Makeup industry fears are that sales of pancake makeup could go down as much as 23% once Andrea Mitchell leaves this mortal coil.
The trowel industry could also expect a nasty knock.
ahhhhhh yesss…..the trio that pounded the final nails into the coffin of dearly departed Glass-Steagall –
Ah Mr Rubin,whose career arc includes Goldman Sachs, US Treasury and a very poorly timed stint on the Executive Committee at Citigroup. By his deeds we shall know him. Oh yes, and part of the triumvirate that was lauded by Time magazine on the cover in 1999.
He’s kept a lower profile than say, Larry Summers. Does Rubin live in a nice high rise in NYC, I wish to presume. These people are useless to hear, read or pay much heed their countenance and advice.
Rubin gave the address at my MBA graduation at NYU in 1994, that stint at Citigroup (just after he had got passed the deregulation of financial services that made legal Citigroups takeover of Travelers when he was part of the Clinton administration) was very remunerative (over US$100 million) so perhaps very well timed from a personal point of view.
The irony of it all, is that Citigroup was definitely on the chopping block, due to be sold for parts and ripped asunder without extra special care and support in late 2008. Their balance sheet was a riotous outright failure, say when compared to their global kin like a Goldman or a JPM Chase.
Rubin can burn for all I care, in a literal hell. He was vocal and supportive of that financial institution taking more risks at quite likely, the worst interval for doing so since the aftermath of the Depression. Yes I remember the GFC very well and remain angry.
I think that, at this point, you can say that Trump never would have been elected if it wasn’t for ’08 and the response from Hopey Changey Obama. I know I felt totally snookered when Obama announced that Timothy Geithner was going to be his Treasury guy, and brought Summers in. If I remember, didn’t he actually put out feelers for Rubin for Treasury, and got a lot of pushback? Like, no, rookie, that stepping over a line? Anyway, that was the motherload of all the anger that gave us Trump, I’m pretty sure. Some tried to claim racism, but, a lot of Obama voters voted Trump.
Yes, and you can add that Rubin, Greenspan, and Summers created Putin and modern Russia.
Our oligarch elites created this world that they now claim is a terrible disaster.
Oh pretty please Mr. Rubin, tell us mopes something we haven’t known for twenty years.
Ironically there is a “theoretically weird” thing that happened in Iowa 2016 that could have utterly changed USA politics.
I wrote it up as a “interesting but weird” possibility at the time. Then it actually happened.
Truth can be stranger than fiction.
Me too. Rubin can rot. Didn’t someone write an article about Obama and his Citigroup cabinet. Or called him the Citigroup president? Something like that.
I remember watching almost all the congressional hearings when they called in the banksters. It was a spectacle to say the least, and also puke worthy. I could have asked better questions than those people.
It was obvious the banksters were the smartest people in the room, but it also proved how truly out of touch, clueless, paid off, and worthless the congress people really are. I can’t bear to watch another hearing to this day – they are nothing but performative BS.
Screw all these people.
Unabankers are pretty much in the clear, heck people can’t remember what happened 15 minutes ago, let alone 15 years ago.
If things came a cropper for Capitalism, regular Joes & Janes are gonna play pin the blame on the Donkey Show & Elephant Circus.
A great danger to the economy. Oh.
My co-workers (younger than me) were talking about cars. They were laughing/ridiculing someone who said they wanted to spend $15k for a car, they said you can’t get a “car” for that amount of money just a pile of junk that will soon breakdown. I asked what do you need to spend for a new car?
“$50,000.”
I bought a new car in 2018 for $17,000. Robert Rubin probably has staff that buy his cars for him or arrange his transportation, while is car(s) probably sit in garages most of the time because his staff does most of his driving for him.
Homes. Cars. Education. Healthcare. Everything costs way more than wages, than it did even just 7 years ago. The great danger to the economy happened a long time ago and nothing is being done to get us out of the great danger.
Maybe they’ll never be able to buy a home if they think a decent car costs 50000. I’m guessing they’re paying twice as much as they should on rent to live in a cool neighborhood, if they ever made it out of the basement.
You are probably correct, most who have volunteered have said they rent and each of the 2 followed up by noting they are “screwed” because they didn’t buy when they had a chance, implying they will never own. Although the one who said “50,000” I think mentioned “his” place so he might own. He also mentioned he likes working for a company based in Boston but operates in the Massachusetts suburbs while he lives in Rhode Island because he gets Boston wages for Rhode Island costs. He has a fiancee.
I know there’s lots that gets added onto the basic MSRP, but Corollas start at $23k (link). I know no one wants sedans anymore though.
That’s the list price. Many models have list prices in lower ranges. Good finding one.
” I know no one wants sedans anymore though.”
I do!
My 2009 Corolla sedans are great. If I ever decide to replace them, I’d want a sedan.
Yup – I bought a new van for $20k in 2018. Admittedly, a 2017, sold as a demonstrater. AT least double that now.
Our masters are degrading the money supply for personal gain. Period. They are filth who lie habitually. And who is the father of all lies?
Inflation is caused by greed, not money printing. Money printing (having more money) does not force people to buy anything. People buy things because they want something more and better.
My bar manager drives a 24 year old car and she keeps getting it repaired despite people telling her to just “buy a new car” because it is “safer” and “more comfortable”.
No one needed a second house when the the interest rates were so low. And most people did not need a new car. So many people took advantage of the “degrading of the money supply for their personal gain”, not just “our masters”.
Old reliable (213k miles) has never let me down, my trusty steed with 6 on the floor, 6 in the engine, and 4 on the tires.
That said, i’m kinda weirded out by being stuck in 114 degrees (or lesser degrees) were the Taco to break down and leave me stranded, and i’ve been thinking of getting me some of that new car smell, after 15 years in the cockpit of the best vehicle i’ve ever owned.
When I was a wee lad, it was pretty common for people to get a new car every few years, partly because they weren’t that reliable, and mostly out of vanity.
for $15k, you can find a Honda with a K24 engine and conventional transmission. those will run >200,000 miles woth standard maintenance, assuming one bought a non-abused specimen.
most old Toyota V8s run forever too (see 2006 GX), if you are willing to get past the MPG.
6 cheap cars never to buy per one of my favorite youtube channels, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq9pmaNhrVc
There’s plenty of good used cars for $15k. We just bought a 2015, low milage, perfect condition, one owner Lexus for $15,500, it lived in a garage, and had all maintenance performed at the dealership. Among the thick stack of service records was the original window sticker for $52,780.96. It’s definitely the swankiest vehicle that I’ve ever owned.
Well, a danger to some rice bowls. / ;)
Re the Michael Tracey–awhile back our library created a new video section with the promo sign: “Do You Like Horror Movies?” My answer would be no, but apparently the public at large do like to be scared and in an age of narrative Trump the lout can be the villain of Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue. Meanwhile Biden, with his toothy smile and natty wardrobe, was the “normal” foil (for those who knew little about him) out to defeat the slasher. The sad part is that this is that Corn Pop Joe sees himself that way with Trump and Putin as his Marvel movie opponents.. If it’s all a movie you can pretty much do anything you like including blowing up Nordstream. The final plot twist will be when he pulls off the mask and reveals himself to be Freddie Krueger.
Our elites have a reality problem. Too much screen time?
Reminds me of this editorial cartoon…
https://thisishistorictimes.com/2016/10/imwithfreddy/
We have a battle going on in the area of mythological frameworks. We see those frameworks in movies and popular music. To put it simply we are, as a culture, deeply confused at best and at worst scared of the “bad guys” whether in a horror movie or in a Marvel world where imaginary beings come and rescue us all. Religions are more useful and realistic than the screens of popular culture.
Having said that, I believe Joe Biden is delusional in a clinical sense and therefore dangerous whether the policy differences with Trump are there or not.
Re:
The chain of responses to Benny’s comment reminds me that I can live long enough to laugh again.
Thank you, god.
Working link for “Injured American citizen’s condition ‘worsening’ after Hezbollah missiles fired toward Israel” article at-
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/07/middleeast/american-injured-hezbollah-missiles-israel-intl-latam/index.html
An American? Or actually an Israeli-American? The article does not say.
Of course not. It would damage the narrative to reveal his Israeli citizenship.
No idea, but he turns out to have been at Zarit, a tiny moshav on the Lebanese border. I thought they were all evacuated.
The Koreas
Yoon set to travel to US for NATO summit with focus on Russia-N. Korea ties The Korea Herald
Lots of delusion and/or propaganda. For example:
“Stakes are high for this year’s summit as South Korea has said it would consider sending (s/b EVEN MORE) weapons to Ukraine in a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s signing of a mutual defense treaty (s/b WHICH WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO SOUTH KOREA SENDING WEAPONS TO UKRIANE IN THE FIRST PLACE) with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their summit last month.”
Wonder how that will work out for South Korea. Probably as it did the first time, but this time Russia might provide long and short range more powerful missiles to the North that can easily glid into the South?
6 short paragraphs follow explaining Yoon’s jam packed meetings with Western Blob think tanks and US military profit driven arms manufacturing funded groups and War criminal organizations like NATO, Indo-Pacific Command, etc.
Yoon has been totally absorbed into servile US puppet-dom. Henry Kissinger is warning Yoon from the grave: “To be America’s friend is fatal” but Yoon does not hear him.
Russia tried to be America’s friend for decades, and she nearly died because of it. Now Russia is America Public Enemy #1, and she is thriving.
‘Yoon has been totally absorbed into servile US puppet-dom’
It was really cringy to watch him singing a song that Biden wanted to hear at an official event-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-E6Bk-JHvo (2:12 mins)
After the US and South Korea pushing North Korea to the edge for so long, it now looks like that North Korea is about to become Russia & China’s “aircraft carrier” in the northern Pacific.
North Korea literally borders Russia with better land connections planned for the near future. good luck spitting into that wind.
Many SK elites have a 1999-USA view of American hegemony, they have zero clue that America has jumped the shark.
But SK is doubling down on Team USA, as now the US has surpaßsed China as SK’s biggest export marketas China becomes less dependent on Korean exports (but Korea is dependent on Chinese argricultural exports to keep prices down).
“Kill one person and you’re a monster who goes to prison for life. Kill 346 people for the sake of higher profits and you’re just a naughty little company who should learn their lesson with a slap on the wrist in the amount of 2.5x the retail price of a single plane that crashed.”
Take your victories where you find them: Pacific Gas & Electric paid a mere $41,000 per human life when they pled guilty to killing 84 people and literally burning cities to the ground in their relentless quest for higher profits.
Then they stiffed the living fire victims for about half of what they lost, in a multi-billion dollar three-card monte maneuver.
Corporate lawyers delenda est
The past and current board members and past and current executives who were in charge, (i.e. theoretically accountable) when these crimes occured that the Boeing Corp pled guilty to should be charged and tried for these crimes, including manslaughter, wrongful death, etc. They should also have all renumeration clawed back for this time period. Where is the noblesse oblige? This is the part of the gene pool that leads to an evolutionary cul de sac.
>A teen tech whiz nicknamed ‘God’s influencer’ will become the first millennial saint NPR
Pope Francis and a group of cardinals approved Acutis for canonization at a meeting at the Vatican on Monday, Vatican News announced. It says he will likely be proclaimed a saint at some point in 2025, during the church’s jubilee year.
The kind of story that I would expect from NPR and the canonization that I would expect from this Pope. When will NPR do a deep dive on Carlo Maria Viganò ‘s recent excommunication and the internecine flare ups most visible in the Catholic Podcast world, one that included prominent podcasters like Taylor Marshall and E.M.Jones, just to name two?
Here is his miracle
If she had worn a helmet, there would have been no need for a miracle.
Easy guide to the results of the French elections in four words. Nobody won, everybody lost.
The RN lost because they couldn’t build on their results in the first round. Some of this was because of a sordid deal between the FP and the Macronists, who hate each other marginally less than they hate the RN. But mostly it was because the RN performed badly, and Bardella did not impress as a Prime Ministerial candidate. I predicted last week that the RN would have nothing like a majority, and so it was. Macron lost, because his coalition lost 100 seats, and now seems very fragile. The fact that it was only a qualified disaster doesn’t stop it being a disaster.
Mélenchon lost because his party only gained a handful of seats: the real sort of victors were the Socialists, who represent the leftish wing of the Macronite tendency going back to their original home. But they did not win enough seats to dominate the FP. Indeed, there is no real leadership in the FP electoral alliance, and even finding a de facto temporary leader will be desperately difficult.
France lost, because Macron’s gamble (“me or chaos”) was answered by “chaos, please.” Although people are talking today about power returning to the National Assembly, the NA can’t actually use that power, because it’s hard to see how a government can even be formed, let alone survive very long.
Basically, some people had a less bad evening than others is all you can really say.
I wonder how long the coalition of leftist factions will last as it seems brittle. Looks like the entire French political establishment, the Left, the media, the government, etc. all united in making sure that Le Pen did not win power. But now that the elections are over, they will be all asking themselves ‘Now what?’ Yeah, France was the big loser here as they got so wrapped in in stopping Le Pen in the same way that many Democrats in the US obsess in stopping Trump. Now they have to sort through the wreckage to work out how to run the government going forward.
What now?
There are only two credible combinations of parties that can achieve a majority in the parliament.
1) The first one is a motley coalition around the macronist party (168) comprising LR (45), socialists (59), plus either ecologists (28) or various right-wing (15) and centrists (6). It would be an unstable alliance, with too many participants, and little love between LR and the macronists, or between the socialists and LR.
2) An alliance between the macronists (168) and the RN/FN (143).
In both cases, the macronists would be the senior partner with the most seats.
Of course, Bardella said that, without a majority, the RN/FN would not take part in a government (especially as a junior partner), which significantly reduces the chances of solution (2) above.
What will most probably not happen is an alliance between the whole of the NFP and the macronists — simply because the macronists have already publicly and vehemently stated they refuse to ally with LFI — and the LFI has formulated conditions and projects that are unacceptable for the macronists. Without LFI, the macronists and the rest of the NFP do not have a majority.
My guess is that the French will have to vote again soon. France will therefore join other EU countries where parliamentary elections are frequently “redone” — such as Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, or Greece.
I repeat what I stated earlier: this is the last time that the so-called “Republican front” to “prevent the extreme-right to ascend to power” was effective. By the next elections, even if all non-FN/RN parties flog that horse, it will not move — voters will no longer be convinced that voting for the lesser evil brings something positive.
“Of course, Bardella said that, without a majority, the RN/FN would not take part in a government (especially as a junior partner), which significantly reduces the chances of solution (2) above.”
Additionally, going for solution (2) seems like it would completely undermine Macron’s whole bit of being the only one standing between France and Le Pen. Even so, I would not put it past him… except that it would almost certainly cause a mutiny in his own party. Surely even Macron isn’t that politically suicidal.
Even so, I would not put it past him
Macron is a weather vane; he has switched positions many times before. He just wants to bulldoze some fundamental policies through and does not really care about the future of his party.
Furthermore, French politicians are not averse to relying on the “embrace and stifle” tactic — most successfully adopted in his time by Mitterrand against the communist party, or by the socialists against the popular movement of third-generation immigrants.
On the other hand, the RN/FN is on an upswing and will not accept to be a bit player in a government.
Ultimately, that combination would be unstable too.
Italy? The parliamentary elections were in 2006, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2022. That’s less frequent than presidential elections in the US.
I remember reading somewhere (actually in several places) that a new legislative election can be called in another 12 months from now at the earliest. If that is correct, France will be saddled with this composition of the national assembly for quite a while.
Please elaborate on how the FP-Macronist deal was any more “sordid” than typical politics-makes-strange-bedfellows arrangements. From the perspective of this (admittedly low-information) observer, it seemed like common sense.
Not trolling here; it’s an earnest question.
As you say, all politics and political deals in particular, tend to the sordid. But in this case the cynicism was so evident as to be repulsive. Macron had been warning against the “extremism” of the Left for ages, and his whole political strategy from 2017 was to destroy the existing major Left and Right-wing parties by attracting their leaders into his government. In this he was largely successful. Suddenly, he makes common cause with the “extremists” and those he was trying to destroy on the Left (abandoning his allies on the Right because they are losing support and of no more use) because, like them, he fears losing power and status, and wants to defend the French establishment against its enemies. For their part, the FP showed themselves as much creatures of the system as he is. Left a bad taste in everybody’s mouth.
Thank you Aurelien. What a mess! I guess everyone should become prepared for next elections soon. How many attempts have the possible candidates that might try candidature for PM in the Congress? Could there be some kind of Frankenstein coalition? Is it even possible mathematically?
Reading a few headlines last night one of the claims was that the left could now rollback Macron’s infamous pension reform that had so many upset. Is that a real possibility? Or could Macron “gum up the works” through something like the Presidential veto here in the US?
Markets wouldn’t like a rollback.
Well, you need a government to do that, and the “Left” can’t form a government.
Thanks. So, markets happy because chaos and dysfunction means no change. Very similar to the US.
So the People With The Money managed a big win, then? Upward and inward flow of wealth, and impoverishment of “les mopes,” will continue unabated by stillborn efforts to instill “reform,” a word that any more gets interpreted as MORE for the Few, at the expense of la foule? Form without substance. “Nothing will substantially change…”
I wonder if Macron could work out a deal with the Socialists. That seems like the only option he has left, short of just accepting the situation and waiting for 2027.
“France lost, because Macron’s gamble (“me or chaos”) was answered by “chaos, please.”
It strikes me that this kind of elite ultimatum is being issued a lot in Western “democracies” these days. I think the “give us chaos, then” attitude is certainly prevalent among many Trump supporters in the US. But we don’t have an institutionalized “left” here to make deals with the “center” to hold off the “far right” hordes. Our fake “left” made that deal long ago.
Thank you for this summary. It is the best analysis of the outcome that I have seen anywhere.
If Party A enters a contest expecting that one of its hated rivals will prevail, and that particular hated rival does not so prevail, Party A can be expected to view the outcome as a win. In short, although Party A does not receive the trophy, at least the rival does not get it either. Victory!
Goodbye, Joe, he gotta go, me oh my oh
He gotta go, price of gas & vittles up the wazoo
His Ukraine sleaze smothered in pleas, me oh my oh
After his showing in the debate, revelations up the wazoo
Don’t run in ’24!, the internet is buzzin’
Demo kinfolk come to see Kamala by the dozen
In Donkey Show style they go hog wild, me oh my oh
Sum of all fears, she’ll end his term on the Potomac
Kamala & VP Pete and mumbo jumbo
Joe’s gonna be my Chernenko
Har de har they’ll both be stars any day oh
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun deciphering the mumbo jumbo
Settle down far from DC town, get him in his Corvette
And he’ll catch all the ‘hey-nice car’ looks in Delaware
Swap him historically with Hoover, you bet
Hunter’s his son, he’ll have big fun riding shotgun
Joe, fais dodo!
“New German defence budget slammed as ‘too low’ by critics”
They must be dreaming. There is not a possibility in this world that any decent navy will just give up their precious subs and hand them over to the Ukrainians. But this brings up all sorts of questions if it ever happened. How long will it take to fully train an inexperienced crew to operate a sub but more to the point, how long will it take to train navy officers in the tactics and procedures of submarine operations? Years I would expect. And where is any submarines supposed to be based where the Russians won’t attack them? How are they to be armed, serviced and replenished in safety? Where will the Ukraine get the people such as mechanics to service these subs? What about spare parts? So yeah, they are either dreaming or are using the same stuff that Zelensky is using.
And how will the subs be delivered without being spotted by Russian eyes, or pro-Russia Ukrainians?
das Bloat?
>0% of Germans ‘very satisfied’ with government – poll RT
The overall dissatisfaction rate with the government’s policies rose to 81%, with 38% saying they were “not satisfied at all.”
And yet, Scholz, Macron, Biden, Leyen, Starmer, all are ensconced in positions of political power and putative heads of state, and EU parliament.
Is this how democracy is supposed to work? Is it better than having a charismatic leader in charge of the State. Is a murky, secretive cabal, what Lambert refers to as a small circle of insiders who are really calling the shots, better than a monarch or dictator?
> A Defiant Biden Says Only the ‘Lord Almighty’ Could Drive Him From the Race
> This man’s family will be able to ‘engage’ with him even after his death Interesting Engineering.
Here’s the thing…
(And don’t think I didn’t note the placement of AI after politics. I see you…)
The Lord Almighty: ‘Challenge accepted!’
It’s as if Joe is the Lucidtania waiting for some deity’s torpedo.
Modern day King Herod… (Or, rather, amalgam of two Herod’s in the Bible, I suppose…)
Between this and the blasphemous praise of Trump, (“Who is like unto him?”), I have a feeling that divine retribution may be coming. If so, one hopes that the second debate sees it.
There is going to be a second debate after the catastrophe that was the first?
If the Democratic leadership and the Security State wants to ensure President Biden’s defeat, I can see that happening. If VP Kamala Harris replaces him for the second debate, it will ensure her defeat. Aside from the joy of humiliation, what would be the point?
The problem with Kamala getting the questions ahead of time before the debate what can be, unburdened by what has been.
On Biden’s apparent loss of faculties. I would’ve loved for just one of his interviewers to ask how long since he last drove that ’67 Corvette?
The answer would be highly suggestive.
Joe: I’m running the world!
Jill: We will decide the future!
The Blob: That’s cute but we’ve made some other plans.
Donkey Show members demanding that Joe pass the torch was a nice touch playing in perfectly with the upcoming Paris Olympics, he’s no Zátopek though.
Biden must have some sort of political wind at his back or he is delusional. I think it may be a bit of both. People are too focused on how he says things not what he says. His last interview was delusional–he runs the world? Really? We clearly live in a multi-polar world and such a statement would never have been made in public by a sane POTUS. He might be more like the character in Arsenic and Old Lace who charges up San Juan Hill if you know what I mean.
There is a parody out there for the taking, based on just that phrasing*…and Trump is the authoritarian to fear, moreso than a sitting President who just spoke those words on a major media news outlet. I fear or rather loathe them both but for highly distinct reasons, neither one being anything to emulate or look forward to for another four years. Good grief.
We Run This World… perhaps set to the tune of “We Are The World”. A sad commentary on where things now stand, some nearly 40 years after the recording of that one song in the middle 80s.
Nobody on this orb (family blogs) with a Biden!
I think there will be a number of surprises that most people are unaware as temperatures rise. And like people, machines don’t like heat.
I can speak from experience that aircraft performance is directly affected by temperature. At first, depending on the length of the runway, the aircraft weight must be reduced which means fewer passengers. Moreover, as the flight deck instruments, the electronic compartment below the flight deck and the passengers need cooling, as you approach 50C (120F), depending on the aircraft, you will be prohibited from taking off.
Cars are also vulnerable. High temperatures can damage or drain the battery and cause vapor to form in the fuel lines stranding you in the heat.
Furthermore, the reliability of trucks, ambulances, commercial a/c units, ground equipment at construction sites, airports, and highways may suddenly become unpredictable.
It’s hard list the benefits of extreme heat but complications are guaranteed.
Houses with vinyl siding can watch it melt right off, likewise with plastic window sashes, frames and casings. Doors warping. Children’s toys can’t be left outside. Garbage and recycling bins melting. Garden hoses melting. Non-brick houses expanding and contracting with extreme temp shifts, creating gaps, loosening nails. Asphalt roof tiles turn to soup. Billboards and posters melting. Car and truck tires popping. Cars parked in the open sun melting their interior upholstery. Railway tracks warping, derails increasing. Cycling or walking on asphalt becomes sticky, leaves ridges and marks. Concrete everywhere cracking.
re: ‘Blitz primary’ could open up Democratic race if Biden drops out SEMAFOR
It has the advantage in the Dem estab’s mind of letting the Dem estab pick the candidates (insider approved) and make the final decision on the candidate to be the nominee, cutting out their pesky Dem voters who might choose someone outside the estab’s approval. I mean, that’s what the Super Delegates are supposed to accomplish in normal years.
I lol’ed.
Right. It’s like they still believe The West Wing TV show was real politics; all one needs is a great script to win. But needing actual voters? Not so much. / ha.
>>>>Biden and Trump have totally converged on MANY if not MOST key foreign and domestic policy issues.
Fact check: True. It’s like asking do you want to slam into the wall at 62mph or 100kph? we’re not even taking Coke-Pepsi level of difference.
Israel-Mideast: defacto same.
Ukraine: defacto same as Trump’s conception of what constitutes a truce that Russia will accept is wildly out-of-touch w/reality.
China: defacto same, except Trump says the quiet part out loud.
Health care: same.
tax policy: Biden ran on single-payer in 2019 and reneged….he suddenly is going to tax the rich?
spending policy: different, but defacto same….Biden admin. has a federal deficit of ~6% in FY 2024. A Trump admin. will likely be the same in FY202x…but via tax cuts and even more MIC spending.
Biden said it out loud: Nothing will fundamentally change. Low and behold, nothing fundamentally changed.
I just moved and am not, at the moment, registered to vote at my new digs. Is it worth the effort? Oh, the down ballot races. I am indifferent to hostile to the candidates for the house. There is no senate contest this year and my state being kinda sorta one party on the national level should I expend the energy? Besides its hot and steamy.
More disgusted and despairing than indifferent and uninformed.
l vote whenever I can and I enjoy seeing people there some of whom I know. It’s a ritual and it means, politically, very little even if I was sure my vote counted. The US may have the worst election system in the world so why do people trust it so much? Elections have been stolen and, I believe, are being stolen because it’s easy and there are few consequences for it. As a life-long student of history I believe in realpolitik and not “democracy” and I’ve been right over the years. Those with power always find a way to game any system particularly when the citizens don’t care enough to guard the integrity of the system. Americans in particular, don’t really care enough about politics to directly engage in it which was considered very important by the Founders. We prefer escapism to action and in this era, action is pointless because the system is rigged for the powerful. I say this as someone who knows the intricacies of Washington politics with its plots within plots made by people who only care for themselves and their gang or tribe.
I still urge people to vote as a general expression of hope even if it’s pointless.
You’re making some unwarranted assumptions about US voter apathy, imo. Also, the pitch to vote for the ritual of voting and the hope in voting and not for the results of voting is less than compelling. (Actually, it sounds kinda like a pitch to attend church services.) / ;)
you should still look at school board, local town council races, county races.
how your town handles local zoning will affect your life more than the hypothetical difference of DNC v. RNC.
and those local races are decided by 10s, 100s, 1000s of votes.
Due Dissidence guys talk about the UK elections with guest Ian Puddick. utube, ~16+ minutes.
Labour CRUISES to Victory in UK Election – w/ Ian Puddick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkh8r5ItV_I
RE: French elections: will Macron imitate the von der Leyen coalition? Euronews
Wishful thinking by Euronews here it seems to me. Not even the left coalition seems able to agree who to go for the Prime Minister position. The PS don’t want Mélenchon and the rest of coalition members don’t want a PS (establishment) candidate. Trying here to extrapolate EU politics to France looks pointless.
re: “This used to be the world’s wheat belt, which fed billions. Not anymore.
Above 30 degrees Celsius wheat yield begins to drop by as much as 44%. ”
We should probably watch this space: https://www.statista.com/statistics/267268/production-of-wheat-worldwide-since-1990/
I wonder if we’re headed for flour and bread rationing in the near future. And precious dwindling wheat supplies being diverted to white people countries, leading to mass starvation elsewhere.
Northern France, southern England and north-east China look like they are really going to cop it. Not saying that bread will become a luxury item but we may find that what constitutes bread may in the future become a flexible thing.
I get it.Bread for some definition of bread. That is not encouraging me to try to live to 100.
The dark green colour was the current production, not the temperature change. Southern England and Northern France are just about the most productive soils in the world in the mildest climate (Atlantic maritime temperature stability, just a hint of continental heat and dryness in summer and the protection of the jetstream from Arctic winds).
Warming of a few degrees will not alter this materially, only some sort of hysteresis because the warming chifts the jetstream and/or the Gulf Stream, which would drop our mean temperatures by 5-10 degrees and shorten the growing season.
The Mid-west cannot compete (but it is emptier and the countryside more “efficiently” organised…). More interestingly, no can Russia and the Ukraine, except at the Black Sea littoral. It must be the maritme temperature moderation again.
From the little I know, there is a fair number of edible plants grown in the Sahelian belt that constitute (or used to) a sizeable part of the traditional diet of the population there (sorgho being the best known). These plants are basically unknown outside Africa (if we except botanists and some anthropologists).
Perhaps it would be high time to investigate their suitability for the soon to be drought-plagued wheat-belt. Thinking about it, I am sure that the big seed corporations are already onto it and preparing their patents for hybrids and genetically modified variants of forgotten African grains and vegetables.
One’s race has little to do with being able to eat. Historically, it comes to food during a famine it comes down to three things: who has the money, who has the weapons, and who does not? Need does not equal availability especially in a financialized system that uses only money to determine availability often using violence using the military and its weapons that wealth provides. Being the creator and initial owner of the food also does not matter. Even having enough food for all does not matter.
In fact, in previous famines, during the 19th and 20th centuries, arbitrage has been used to make a profit by taking grain from poor areas to sell in wealthy areas even when there was not a need in the wealthier areas, or at least not a threat of actual hunger, with the military being used to enforce these perfectly legal actions. That the poor areas (and poor farmers) are usually the producers of the very grain taken from them because markets. They are literally examples of Lambert’s 1) Because Markets, 2) Go Die. It also shows the modern American version of libertarianism as practiced in the past.
Remember that I said that race has little to do with being able to eat? Which economic bloc is losing its ability to manufacture and sell with its economic independence declining as well? And which bloc is gaining economic strength and a more powerful military through it?
I think, hope might be more correct, that in North America outright famine is avoidable because of the length of the continent from north to south, but that hope presupposes functioning governments that do not want to fall to violent uprisings or military coups. With the fools in charge, we just might get the unnecessary famines and violence.
Adolf offered up ‘Work, Freedom & Bread!’ on campaign posters in 1932, and when you’re using bread as a selling point, people must’ve been starving in the Reich.
Well, it was French bread…
By white I was referring to the walled white empire from last week:
https://indi.ca/two-hands-of-white-empire/
>IDF Ordered Hannibal Directive on October 7 to Prevent Hamas Taking Soldiers Captive – Haaretz
This was reported by non-MSM as Conner Gallagher pointed out in his article. The other shoe that has yet to drop on the public mind is the order to stand-down what Israeli Intelligence knew was being planned in order to have the pretext to invade Gaza and rearrange the political landscape of the the occupied land.
This too has been reported on by non-MSM news outlets. But it’s even more explosive than the “Hannibal Directive.” One wonders what the life cycle of mis/disformation is these days. JFK is 60 or more years without resolution/atonement, 9/11 already 23 years in the past, and so much more that never say the light of day even when you go back and study WWII and it’s after math. Like who ever heard of Reinhard Gehlen mentioned in their history class while in school, or even knows about him and Operation Paperclip? These aren’t topics that will get you invited to liberal friend’s cook-outs.
Erm, the reporting is decided establishment in Israel. Times of Israel. And Haaretz is hardly non-MSM. Sorta like The Guardian.
> Who gets the flow? Financial globalisation and wealth inequality Journal of Macroeconomics
>> The dynamic is strengthened when a banking crisis hits the economy, possibly because people at the top of the distribution can recover their lost wealth faster than people at the bottom.
See:
>> Depressions are how we harvest the wealth accumulated by the lower classes.
UFC 86
Mitch ‘Freeze Frame’ McConnell versus Joe ‘…the dormant Volcano’ Biden
A duo way past their use-by date go into the Octagon. if one emerges could you really tell the difference?
$49.99 PPV
$29.99 PPV HD
“UK announces new military aid package for Ukraine”
That didn’t take long. Starmer had just gotten into office when he was already swearing loyalty to the Ukraine and promising them a bunch of military goodies. He told Zelenskiy that the change to a Labour government ‘makes no difference to the support you will see’ from the UK and Starmer himself will get a chance to meet Zelensky next week so I am hoping that Zelensky gives him a good long hug thus ensuring that the Zelensky curse will fall on him like it did Sunak-
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/08/keir-starmer-first-nato-summit-ukraine-labour
Re: Yet another Yuge Lie about a Gaza Ceasefire that won’t happen
Shameless lies
Have you ever seen such packs of lies?
It’s not Genocide
No children have died
Whispering tunes that Pol Pot sang, you know
Shameless lies
Told by cretins whom we all despise
Don’t apologize
For anyone they’ve slaughtered today
You’d think there’s a better way
Fantasize
On waning power trips they fantasize
Their days are numbered, just like summer fruit flies
They’ve sold their souls for a pocketful of gold
Old man, telling more lies about his “peace plan”
Try to pry his grip on power off his cold, dead, hands
As the vultures circle nearby, weeping tears of joy … joy
Feels so good … feels so good, you know I wish I could
Stop these clowns from lying
La-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da
Mystery … like this and many others in history
Somethings glowing in the night with a pack of lies!
Melody
“New German defence budget slammed as ‘too low’ by critics”
Instead of going out and buying the latest whiz-bang, high-tech toys like is the norm, perhaps it would be wiser to start with the basic building blocks. So for a start, they should make sure that each and every Bundeswehr soldier is fully equipped and armed with enough s*** to shoot. It came out recently that they did not even have enough rifles for the army. After that spend money on training those soldiers so that they actually have a clue as to what to do in battle and here they should be incorporating the lessons of the war in the Ukraine. Then start moving up the arms food-chain with machine guns, manpads, mortars, etc. Then after that artillery and transport vehicles. After that stuff like tanks and the like. Start with the basics and build themselves up.
> did not even have enough rifles for the army.
I found this puzzling. The standard issue automatic rifle (nor any large quantity of any infantry small arms) was not listed in a recent table of military assistance to Ukraine, so the shortage may not be the result of recent (post beginning of the SMO) “stripping the cupboard bare” to arm Ukraine. In that case, it may be a long-standing problem. Perhaps it is being “noticed” now because there is some value to the noticers in drawing attention to it.
Delighted to see Warren Mosler on the “Odd Lots” podcast:
https://x.com/thestalwart/status/1810228145741594682?s=61&t=49k3YVWBXBaX3opuHgraeg
(bold mine)
So does the lack of primary question encompass the party in question actually preventing a competitive primary from taking place? Or is it assumed that such a primary will happen if a worthy challenger exists, and therefore the lack of the primary is simply the manifestation of a weak bench?
I think the intended key is no traction from a charismatic challenger for incumbents and no significant opponent for out of White House nominee. But then I believe Lichtmann has such a bias that he is giving Biden too much credit for his keys.
Even allowing the primary key. I would reject several. For instance strong long term economy… we may not be in a recession but there are significant strains on many aspects of the economy, not the least of which is inflation which calls into question that per capital growth requirement (let’s not even talk about the drop in status for so many following the end of the Covid support.) Realistically Biden shouldn’t get that. And it should be a draw on both no major scandal and uncharismatic challenger (Trump has his fans).Seriously between Hunter and hiding his physical condition Biden is scandal ridden.
But this says to me that as weak as Biden is, Lichtmann must think everyone else is toast.
Strong long-term economy? I don’t think that’s quite right. Yes, the numbers are not indicating a disaster but the numbers are massaged and then cooked–they mean something but not that much–most non-rich people are not happy with things for both economic and cultural reasons.
I think Lichtman and anyone else who think past events inform current circumstances are family blogging kidding themselves. And for anyone paying attention… an uncharismatic challenger? All Trump has is charisma. Interpreting the infamous keys in this fashion is another sympton of TDS.
Biden may yet run and win. But any victory on his part constitutes a herculean effort by the establishment.
Agree with the other commenters here regarding the seven keys biden has “provided” so far. With the exception of incumbency and the manipulated “primary,” they’re pretty subjective and susceptible to TDS tainted interpretation.
I’d be inclined to say that the current take on the white house’s “concealing” of biden’s cognitive deficiencies could rightfully go in the “scandal” column.
Having said that, the way the “system” works, seven trues and six falses is a loss for the incumbent. No mention in the article of where biden will pick up at least one more key to get to the magic number eight.
Just for shits and grins, this link takes you to Lichtman’s American University to see how he answered the 13 key questions in 2016 when he predicted Trump’s win, laurels he continues to rest on for his soothsayer cred today. Spoiler alert: he didn’t think Trump had “charisma” then either.
https://www.american.edu/media/news/092616-13-keys-prediction.cfm (Scroll down.)
It’s interesting. The Copernicus graph not only shows that the surface temp increase bar stayed above 1.5 this last year, but if you look closely, each bar below is slightly above the bars below it. It implies an exponential increase in temperature. So many people talk about “by the end of this century” …… naw, it’s gonna happen much sooner than that. Let’s see what “it” is by the 2030s.
The great thing about the atmosphere warming up so rapidly, is all we need to do is leave a cauldron of stone soup out, and it cooks itself!
And in other news you have to look really hard for…..(surprised it’s even reported, and he even tested, actually….)
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for Covid-19; Harris is negative
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/07/politics/doug-emhoff-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html
Don’t fret, it’s mild, thoughts and prayers and all that. His second official time with Covid.
I wonder if we will ever get to the point where multiple Covid infections becomes disqualifying for various jobs , in and of itself…… Probably not. I think having had Covid will eventually, if not already, make it impossible for a person to obtain individual life, disability or LTC insurance, and maybe even health insurance outside of a group. Of course people can try lying, since documentation is scant….
Not sure i’m ready for Chance the Garner to be the Chief Executive, but they say being there as Vice President gives you the best opportunity.
Politics throughout the Golden Billion is getting pretty cattywampus, some more pronounced than others. There is an 1848 feel to things.
“There is an 1848 feel to things.”
That was also being said in 2019 BC (Before Covid). 2020 was such a head spinner, that what was happening in 2019 moved to the back burner…for a while…
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/10/chile-in-flames-the-neoliberal-model-in-crisis-throughout-the-region.html/
The opening:
Yves here. With 2019 shaping up to be another 1848, it’s hard to provide in-depth commentary on so many protests. Nevertheless, Lambert hopes to provide a high-level piece soon…
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/10/global-protests-round-up-authoritarian-adaptation-data-gathering-role-class.html/
Global Protests Round-Up: Authoritarian Adaptation, Data Gathering, and the Role of Class
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/10/global-protests-round-up-proposed-causes-global-slump-income-inequality-social-media-more.html/
Global Protests Round-Up, Proposed Causes: Global Slump, Income Inequality, Social Media (and More)
About the chart in the tweet; ” new study has shown SARS-CoV-2 infection is DISTINCT from common respiratory viruses! Unequivocally, COVID is NOT “just a cold.”
They compared SARS2 to everything but the already existing coronavirises. Does anyone else see that as a problem? Not minimizing COVID at all, but this seems weird. Colds are caused by Coronaviruses so without seeing the immune expression of the old coronaviruses I cannot say from that chart SARS2 is no different than the common cold. Again, not that it is not, but it is bad logic like this that makes people mistrust everything.
For what it’s worth, no other “cold” Coronavirus has the SARS2 protein envelope or ACE2 binding affinity. The two work hand in hand for a very tight fit to cells expressing ACE2. So SARS2 stands apart.
– ‘Biden’s Survival Plan: Decry ‘Elite’ Critics, Appeal to His Base’ – Politico
The deck: “Black voters and organized labor have been the president’s key backers and they’re going to have to carry him now.”
Electoral politics is so absurdly ridiculous these days that it’s hard for an article on the election to elicit an emotional response from me (other than laughter). But this article make me want to puke. Not that I doubt its contents, but precisely because such a piece can still be written seriously. How many decades will the so-called “base” fall for this bulls**t by the Democrat machine and its lackeys among the Labor- and Black-misleadership class? I thought this passage was noteworthy:
“Much as he craves the affirmation of elites, Biden is in his comfort zone donning the armor of Scranton Joe. It recalls Bill Clinton, facing impeachment and the condemnation of censorious Democratic elites, turning to the party rank and file and especially Black Americans in his hour of crisis.”
Ah yes, Bill Clinton, our “first Black President.” The Clinton of the Sister Souljah moments and the 1994 Crime Bill and neoliberal financial deregulation that hit Black communities especially hard as its full effects were realized in the 2000s. Of course as a key Democratic Senator Biden was vigorously opposing all of these moves back then… oh wait.
In fairness, though, he was vigorously defending the nomination of a Black Supreme Court Justice.
Actually, I’m not sure they care anymore if no one believes this crap. They figure it doesn’t matter anyway.
If biden doesn’t bow out this week then I may be considering a wag the dog scenario where joes handlers try to make Angry Old Man into a positive. As I said yesterday joe sounds dictatorial with his normal “my way or the highway” commands, but it’s ok (supposedly) if he’s just seen to be defending himself…and add to this the narrative is not about gaza/ukraine/global warming/festering inequality and etc… It’s about poor old joe being attacked from all sides…poor joe…
They’re trying out new personas for Joe like Taylor Swift trying on new outfits for her world tour.
The latest is “populist” Joe – “dammit I’m running against these elites who are trying to take the nomination from me!”
H. Lost Slow-Joe?
No word on whether Joe will adopt a folksy twang and start wearing cowboy boots.
…and then there is Howard Beale Joe
I want you to go to the window, open it, stick your head out and yell: “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore-other Democrats trying to push me out.”
“NATO needs to look toward Pacific because of current realities, Jens Stoltenberg says”
Looks like NATO wants to become a planetary fighting force and now wants to go into the Pacific. Thing is, they have broken their teeth fighting the Russian bear but when they go to the other side of the world to go fight the Chinese Panda bear, Russia will be there as well because they live there as well.
Niue And Tahiti Organization?
I would like to propose a simple litmus test for presidential candidates: They must have a valid driver’s license* in their resident state. If a candid is so feeble that they need to have the keys taken away, then they are too feeble to be running the country.
* medical exemptions apply – blindness, epilepsy, etc.
You made me cry when you almost said goodbye
Ain’t that a shame? My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame? You’re the one to blame
You broke down on stage, time to turn the page
Ain’t that a shame? My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame? You’re the one to blame
Ah, yes, you are
No farewell, no goodbye, although I’ll cry
Ain’t that a shame? My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame? You’re the one to blame
Get it, ah
You made me cry when you almost said goodbye
Ain’t that a shame? Oh, my tears fall like rain
Ain’t that a shame? You’re the one to blame
Ain’t That A Shame, performed by Cheap Trick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r06d_zl4tc
That latest Patrick Lawrence is spot on. Highly recommended.
Great tits have a surprisingly good memory — and are much smarter than we thought ZME Science
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I cautiously clicked on the link, thinking for sure that the often seen paired ones have a great personality too, but it was all for the birds.
Re: Lemoine “we’re headed [in France] towards the worst institutional crisis in decades.”
One can’t discount the possibility that Macron would seek to benefit precisely from a crisis. He’s done it before, notably during the period when the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was briefly conferred the status of a State-recognized “fact.” In fact, in between the first and second round of the recent legislative elections he even floated the idea of invoking Article 16 of the Constitution to exercise extraparliamentary emergency powers. His previous prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, relied heavily on executive decree to push through extremely unpopular laws concerning pensions and retirement, among a host of other things. Given the proven predilection of neoliberal polities to govern by crisis (so-called “disaster capitalism”), is it really impossible that a neoliberal president confronted with an irreversible political decline would gravitate towards “institutional crisis”? After a certain point, alleged intention, or the absence thereof, has little to do with it.