Links 8/4/2024

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1. Antifa August 4, 2024 at 6:58 am

   THAT NEW BIRD FLU
   (melody borrowed from Blue Bayou  by Roy Orbison)

   This new virus is the vicious kind
   Fever like I’m losing my mind
   Doctors have me well quarantined
   With new Bird Flu

   I keep coughing all the time
   Lungs are full of avian slime
   My innards lost their rhythm and rhyme
   With new Bird Flu

   They say I’ll be okay some fine day
   From new Bird Flu
   Then they look away clasp their hands and pray
   It’s new Bird Flu . . .

   Got a bad sore throat, I won’t sugarcoat
   The horrid way I feel
   Will this be my demise? I’m colonized!
   Tomorrow won’t be . . .

   Through the glass there’s family and friends
   Ain’t no chance that they’ll let them in
   Worried faces frozen in grins—
   It’s new Bird Flu . . .

   Three more IV’s today
   To ease the pain of new Bird Flu
   Might be a good sign though I’m still supine
   With new Bird Flu

   My eyes won’t align—I’m cold inside!
   I’m bathed in sweat when the chills subside
   Five more flower bouquets—
   Is this the way it is when you die?

   This could happen to you—it’s slipping through . . .
   This new Bird Flu . . .

   Reply ↓
   1. jefemt August 4, 2024 at 9:33 am

      New garage band name: Japanese Blow Fly

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 9:37 am

         Their latest hit? “Got those Japanese Blow Fly Blues.”

         Reply ↓
2. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 7:21 am

   “Hungary says Croatia is unreliable for oil transit, sparks outrage in Zagreb”

   Slovakia and Hungary are really being done over by the European Commission who backed a non-EU country over their own members. The EC also suggested that those two countries secure their oil from Croatia but I would suggest that the EC has made a deal with Croatia to jack up the prices of transit fees to sky-high levels for oil going to those two countries to put them in a headlock. I would myself suggest that those two countries keep on delivering electricity to the Ukraine but every now and then to shut down the supply due to “anomalies” for a few seconds at a time. In any case, I would not be surprised if, when the Ukraine loses this war, that out of spite they will blow up all oil and gas pipelines to the west which would include supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.

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   1. Anonymous August 4, 2024 at 8:31 am

      Now you know why seacoast was taken away from them.
      https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/ume5so/viktor_orban_if_they_hadnt_taken_the_sea_and/?rdt=64925

      Reply ↓
3. Ben Panga August 4, 2024 at 7:55 am

   UK Government advisor calls for Covid-style controls against riots (UnHerd)

   “In Covid the [British public was] able to back measures that were needed in that situation,” he said. “They would take a similar approach to keep rioters off the streets to see the scale of damage being done to communities”.”

   Does he mean curfews? Lockdowns? Performative clapping for nurses?

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   1. flora August 4, 2024 at 9:03 am

      Taibbi’s latest, public excerpt:

      Sir Keir Starmer’s Pre-Crime Clarion Call
      After nationalist riots in Southport, Britain’s new Prime Minister announces plans for a “coordinated effort” to arrest wrongdoers “before they can even board a train”

      https://www.racket.news/p/sir-keir-starmers-pre-crime-clarion

      Starmer spent a good deal of his speech talking about the dangers of social media and online commentary being the cause, or one important cause of the violence. ( Not the govt’s mishandling of the situation.) And so…
      From the full article:

      The episode brings to mind anti-disinformation laws implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic and the multiple January 6th cases (including the indictment of Donald Trump) that put “false claims” at the center of criminal charges. From China to Indonesia to Russia to the U.S, Germany, France, and now the U.K, authorities seem keener by the day to criminalize “disinformation,” which of course would put them in the position of determining truth and untruth. Britain has deployed numerous initiatives in this direction, including a “Rapid Response Unit” set up to combat misinformation that was shut down in 2022.

      —-
      No wonder Labour got rid of Corbyn; I can’t imagine him going full Orwell. / ;)

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      1. Ben Panga August 4, 2024 at 9:52 am

         I agree very much Flora.

         On the other hand, I’m also fairly sure that there is a coordinated social media program to spread lies (“it was a migrant that killed the kids”) and drum up race hate and pogroms. My twix feed is full of AstroTurfed lies about migrants (as well as some genuinely concerned citizens).

         I posted here yesterday about Tommy Robinson being Israeli funded

         https://x.com/Tracking_Power/status/1819696060941627553

         With some receipts for that here:

         https://x.com/Tracking_Power/status/1819825453898793091

         So, I’m caught between two things 1. I dread the authoritarianism that Starmer seems likely to push and 2. I want a way to do something about those behind the return of actual far right who are going round attacking brown people and siege heiling.

         I don’t see an easy way to solve both (absent much broader changes). It could have been avoided a few years ago but decades of policy led us here.

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         1. flora August 4, 2024 at 9:59 am

            In this case I think the govt could have nipped this one in the bud with better handling.
            adding: is there any reason to believe some of the so-called ‘hate’ social media posts are not also govt backed, a la the CIA in the US, as a way to foment discord and create a need (says the govt) to crack down on social media? You think the govt would never do such a thing? Not saying the govt did or has, but the immediate jump to ” oh, far-right danger bad” is something the govt can use for …um…other purposes, is it not? / ;)

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         2. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 10:02 am

            Thanks for those links about Tommy Robinson. I found it strange to read a few weeks ago how he and his thugs were all gung-ho on taking the side of Israel and wondered why. The guy can be quite articulate in an interview so the thought occurs to me that perhaps he is being groomed for some sort of leadership role down the road which explains all that funding from all those different sources. Why not? He is already bought and paid for.

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4. Joker August 4, 2024 at 8:07 am

   China needs to pick a side, and it just might pick the West Asia Times. Author is Assistant Professor of Business Economics at the University of Nottingham and seems to have a few blind spots.

   Unlike the article, comments beneath it are worth checking out.

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   1. timbers August 4, 2024 at 8:48 am

      Yes the comments are good. And the first paragraph is cringe inducing:

      For the Kremlin, its “partner of no limits”, China, isn’t doing enough to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine. So, Russia has signed a peace treaty with North Korea, hoping to pressure China into backing Moscow’s war effort further.

      There is so much wrong packed into that, I stopped and went to the comments.

      At any rate, even if China picked The West, The West will never pick China. Put another way, to be America’s friend is fatal.

      Not gonna happen IMO.

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5. Steve H. August 4, 2024 at 8:11 am

   > We Owe It to Ourselves to Shun These People Mercilessly
   >> Cloud computing still must store its data in physical locations, vulnerable to physical threats in the same way oil pipelines are.

   Vulnerable, not so much. John Robb:

   … my guess is that Elon is probably going to end up putting his dojo supercomputer for training AIs in space because you can get solar power cheaper than you can get on earth, and scalable volumes far beyond what you can get on Earth in the current environment, particularly since those supercomputers now (and most of the cloud stuff that goes around with AI) is so power intensive it chews up the power of a medium-sized city and then it’s growing even more. So if Elon wants orders of magnitude more compute than he has now, you think his plans are to do that in space? Well, running these big clusters to train AIs and to host AIs is almost all power-related costs. 80% of the costs of actually running those systems is energy costs. And energy costs are going up seems like everywhere here, terrestrially. And here you have this window in space that he alone really can access.

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   1. rudi from butte August 4, 2024 at 10:44 am

      Wow! Just Wow!

      Reply ↓
      1. Revenant August 4, 2024 at 11:08 am

         Solar power in space is not the magic bullet you think of is. It is very hard to generate a lot of power. The panels are fragile and are damaged by all sorts of microscopic collisions with dust etc. There is no atmosphere for convective cooling so only radiative and conductive cooling is available. Conductive doesn’t help, it just transfers the problem around the craft. With radiative cooling as the limitation, the panel surfaces get hot and efficiency is low. The panels have to be angled to the sun at all times, requiring secondary fuel or using primary solar energy and propellant (ion drive).

         There is a reason why power hungry applications like spy satellites use nuclear thermal generators.

         This concept of a data centre in space is a nonsense.

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6. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 8:14 am

   “Waiting for the Missiles”

   Waiting for the missiles is right. Hezbollah just sent forty to fifty Katyusha rockets against Israel which must have caused a mini-panic in Israel. But then Hezbollah announced that this was not their revenge attack but a response to attacks that Israel had made against Lebanese villages & civilians. The big one has jet to come. So not only was Hezbollah rattling Israel’s cage but they forced Israel to use up scores of their Iron Dome missiles like they were going out of style – missiles that they will sorely need in the coming days-

   https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5046988-hezbollah-launches-dozens-rockets-northern-israel

   Larry Johnson also talks about Paul Whelan who was recently swapped and turns out to be real piece of work. Recently he was demanding from his prison that the US kidnap Russian diplomats, tourists or anybody else Russian to make the Russians swap them for his release. No wonder that the Marines gave him the boot.

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   1. ambrit August 4, 2024 at 8:46 am

      Rattle their cage is precisely correct. Katyusha rockets are WW-2 era unguided missiles, of medium size and generally used in barrages for area suppression. This is just a demonstration of intent. The main event will probably consist of waves of expendable drones followed by precision devices.
      The real question is what the ultimate targets will be. Israeli government infrastructure? “Military bases? Domestic infrastructure, such as electricity grids?
      If the planners behind this iteration of “The Axis” are up to the task, they will leave the civilian airports intact so as to facilitate the exodus of the Israeli dual passport civilians. Most of those dual passport Israelis are the backbone of the Israeli economy, both the workers and consumers. A slow but steady bleeding of the Israeli economy will bankrupt the Israeli State if the war continues.

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      1. Phenix August 4, 2024 at 9:07 am

         I don’t want anymore of them in the US. I already deal with more than my fair share of Ukrainian neo-NAZIs and rabid zonists. I do not need more genocidal cowards. At least fight for what you believe in. Don’t escape and hide in the State’s when you face a real fight

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         1. Michael Fiorillo August 4, 2024 at 10:00 am

            Thank you.

            As a New Yorker, I’m not looking forward to the inevitable flood of Zionist thugs/cowards exiting the settlements and returning to the metro NYC area, nor Azov Nazis frying pierogies at Veselka, while beating up peaceniks as a hobby…

            Don’t the Democrats look at places like Florida – once a swing state and now reliably Republican – and give any heft to how the welcoming of Rightists fleeing US-supported debacles in their home countries is structurally undermining them? Then again, to do so would mean looking at US foreign policy with the same “moral clarity” that they give to “saving our democracy” – via things like Russiagate and Stormy Daniels inspired Lawfare – and that is more cognitive dissonance than they can bear.

            Want to see a #McResistance liberal’s head explode? Tell them they were useful idiots in normalizing anti-Russian sentiment, via Russiagate and Impeachment 1.0, as a prelude to a losing proxy war with a nuclear power.

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         2. flora August 4, 2024 at 10:12 am

            So you are not a fan of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro then? I read he’s on Kamala’s short list for the VP slot. / ;)

            Josh Shapiro seeks to downplay his time as IDF volunteer after college op-ed resurfaces

            https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/josh-shapiro-seeks-to-downplay-his-time-as-idf-volunteer-after-college-op-ed-resurfaces/

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         3. Katniss Everdeen August 4, 2024 at 10:37 am

            I think we should prioritize resettling the israelis who are rioting violently to protect their right to sodomize and gang rape illegally imprisoned Palestinian men with electric rods.

            Innovative barbarity is still “innovation,” and we need more investment in the electric rod industry, which I’m sure our newest citizen neighbors will be willing and able to provide.

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      2. Joker August 4, 2024 at 9:21 am

         Just to be clear, they are not firing actual WWII vintage stuff. In that part of the world “Katyusha” is used as a generic term for a weapon type.

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         1. Polar Socialist August 4, 2024 at 9:36 am

            Something like that. Grad (BM-21) is more accurate at 30 kilometers than Katyusha (BM-13) was at 3 kilometers. You can probably put the whole salvo inside an area of four football* fields if you know what you’re doing.

            I assume when used as a nuisance/retalion strike, the aim is to force Israelis into shelters in a wide area and activate as many Iron Dome sites as possible, so they probably prefer more dispersion than less.

            * the one played with feet

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   2. Anti-Fake-Semite August 4, 2024 at 8:48 am

      God/Allah/The Universe willing, the Iranian response will be the one that brings “Israel” to it’s knees. When a mad dog attacks children it must be destroyed. The Jewish terror organisation known as Israel cannot be integrated into the civilised world. Driven by their neurosis, they have voted for their own abolition. History will remember these people as a curse. A curse to themselves, a curse to their neighbours, their friends and their enemies but most of all as a self-inflicted curse. They anointed themselves as the chosen ones. They are hell bent on seeing their holocaust through to completion. What a weird, weird people. Goodbye and thanks for the bagels.

      Reply ↓
   3. Polar Socialist August 4, 2024 at 8:50 am

      Since Elijah Magnier just said it’s unlikely the (Hezbollah) retaliation will come before Tuesday afternoon, while we wait for the inevitable, there is a new Youtube channel Deep Dive Defense which rather objectively and dispassionately goes trough both Iranian and Israeli capabilities. And a two-part analysis on the previous strike, too.

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      1. NotTimothyGeithner August 4, 2024 at 9:51 am

         The managed Iranian escalation would be to prolong the alert status for military personnel involved, especially with Israel’s economy and a now normative tit for tat with Hezbollah.

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   4. Louis Fyne August 4, 2024 at 9:59 am

      No need to rush for Iran. if they wait 2 months and do it, they still win.

      frog boiling is the optimal strategy if one is dispassionate about this.

      Israel has 50% of US deaths in the Vietnam War in 10 months (on a per capia basis, 8 mil Israelis today v. 2xx mil Americans in 1970).

      gazan losses,of course, are horrific even using the lowest end of estimates

      Reply ↓
7. ciroc August 4, 2024 at 8:37 am

   Ms Halford-Hall is also urging the legal watchdog, which oversees the professional conduct of lawyers, to ensure that solicitors firms are not allowed to facilitate cover-ups of national security issues.

   “It is time that the SRA stopped pussyfooting around with this and brought forward meaningful regulations and serious consequences for lawyers,” Ms Halford-Hall said. “Every lawyer should be compelled to report national security or other safeguarding issues to the relevant regulators and/or the police.”

   https://www.yahoo.com/news/britain-nuclear-submarine-software-contract-202401942.html

   If you’re a British lawyer: Your loyalty is to your country, not to your client.

   Reply ↓
   1. ambrit August 4, 2024 at 8:57 am

      Thus the heartfelt advice of Polonius to his departing son:

      Neither a barrister nor a soliciter be;
      For writ oft loses both itself and friend,
      And the Law dulls the edge of integrity.
      This above all; to thine ownself be true,
      And it must follow, as the night the day,
      Thou cans’t not then be true to any man.

      Reply ↓
8. Balan ARoxdale August 4, 2024 at 8:44 am

   Blinken speaks with UK, French counterparts to ‘deescalate’ rising Mideast tensions Anadolu Agency

   Probably coordinating joint military counter-strikes and domestic censorship/propaganda campaigns. And of course the next UN veto.

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9. Trees&Trunks August 4, 2024 at 8:47 am

   So in just a few daya, media employees wants us to believe that Kamala Harris ”gets” things. So far, AI and space.

   Do they really believe that we will think that she is not as stupid as she has appeared to be all these years? Are they trying to unburdem her by what has been or will come or what kind gaslighting/psyop is this?

   Ali G got space too.

   https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YRX9_PPcalE&pp=ygUKQWxpIGcgbmFzYQ%3D%3D

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   1. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 9:06 am

      Captain Janeway she is not. Come to think of it, it was Kamala that announced new changes to space policies about two years ago so probably has a few friendly contacts there-

      https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3004297/vice-president-kamala-harris-visits-vandenberg-makes-historic-announcement-furt/

      At least with space, she does not get any flak over illegal aliens.

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      1. Screwball August 4, 2024 at 9:50 am

         I hope she knows space better than cloud computing and how she will tame inflation. Maybe space is more suited for this space cadet.

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         1. flora August 4, 2024 at 10:20 am

            “Bidenomics is working! It’s working!” – Kamala on any number of occasions. /heh

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      2. Terry Flynn August 4, 2024 at 9:59 am

         Actually maybe Captain Janeway is EXACTLY what she is. I’m pretty sure someone like you is aware of the “reputation” Captain Janeway has on YouTube for being a serial violator of the Prime Directive, amongst a whole load of other monstrous stuff (killing Tuvix without a “proper” Star Trek exploration of the morality etc).

         Kate Mulgrew has been quoted by multiple sources about the terrible inconsistency in the writing of her character. Then the showrunner brought in a female character who absolutely did not need a skin tight spandex silver suit. She was eye candy but I’m sure that’s coincidence. She is a very fine actress. But plenty of people on YT have pointed out what went on on Voyager.

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         1. Ben Panga August 4, 2024 at 10:08 am

            “The Prime Directive is an objective that’s very important… [Looks into distance briefly and realises she’s out of her depth]… It’s an instruction that directs us to follow it… [waves hands around]…and so it’s very important that we keep its primeness…[pulls expression to show depth and gravitas of her words]…in the way in which we are directed ……[triumphant hand waving and smiling]….

            [Sotto voice]….replicator: Xanax, fast acting.”

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            1. Terry Flynn August 4, 2024 at 10:25 am

               Hehe. I remember one of the many writers who was unhappy with Voyager quoting Mulgrew appearing on set one day asking “so, which version of Captain Janeway am I to be today?”

               Ouch. I’m glad she got to really show her acting chops in OITNB etc. Voyager was doomed from day one and led to departure of Ronald D Moore when they realised “we have been told to make this completely serialized for syndication yet its basic premise is that they have a finite number of torpedoes/shuttles/people etc but must reset at start of every episode. Does not compute”.

               Which explains why RDM went to such lengths to show deterioration of Galactica across 4 or so years. BSG is lauded. Voyager is made fun of by prominent YouTubers.

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         2. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 10:12 am

            ‘killing Tuvix without a “proper” Star Trek exploration of the morality etc’

            I would have guessed that it was based on proper Vulcan logic as in-

            ‘Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few – or the one.’

            The existence of a temporary Tuvix cannot outweigh the continued existence of two other people – Tuvok and Neelix. It’s a numbers decision-

            https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Tuvix

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   2. griffen August 4, 2024 at 9:15 am

      She really is capable and prepared, to begin day one of a new Presidential administration and manage the domestic and foreign policies with diplomacy and aplomb. Unlike that belligerent bully, and very unworthy of the office, Donald Trump! \ SARC

      I’m getting a lot of mileage lately from satire and sarcasm. Blazing Saddles and anything else Mel Brooks has put on offer once was a worthy and useful reference, but I’ve lost the ability to keep up with the hasty developments since only late June. Fubar.

      Heaven help us if anyone brings up inflation in a serious tone and expects a refreshing answer that isn’t just word-salad ingredients. “Prices are higher, so that’s stressful…” Per a video clip I’ve seen a few occasions. Probably the same clip.

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      1. Ben Panga August 4, 2024 at 9:40 am

         The inflation word salad (twix link)

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      2. Nikkikat August 4, 2024 at 10:22 am

         After 4 or 5 years of the disjointed mumbled blather put out by the Biden crew, I guess
         This dummy is bordering on genius. At least Trumps statements are funny. I laughed for a couple of days about “people coming into the country speaking languages no one has ever heard of”. At least he is inventive.

         Reply ↓
   3. Alice X August 4, 2024 at 9:37 am

      Know thine enemy

      Sun Tzu

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   4. jefemt August 4, 2024 at 9:39 am

      I’m looking for the photo of her looking at the sun…..

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 9:46 am

         She might have been listening to AI Google then which, when asked how long can you stare at the sun for your health, suggested about 30 seconds or so. Yes, this actually happened.

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   5. Neutrino August 4, 2024 at 10:00 am

      Space czar, has a spacey sound, dunnit?

      Many observers would say that she should take command of the space between her ears first.

      Reply ↓
      1. Ben Panga August 4, 2024 at 10:10 am

         Spaced Czar?

         Reply ↓
10. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 8:54 am

    “Russian Il-76TD specializing in arms transport landed in Iran”

    Simplicious mentions a report that ‘Iran, apparently, has received Russian ultra-long-range electronic warfare systems Murmansk-BN.’ Interesting if it is true but something occurs to me. If the US calls out Russia for delivering such a system to Iran, Russia could reply that they are not shipping offensive weapons to Iran but only defensive weapons. You know, the same sort that the US was shipping to the Ukraine before the war broke out by the plane load. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

    https://armyrecognition.com/military-products/army/electronic-warfare/murmansk-bn-electronic-warfare-communications-jamming-system-data

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    1. .Tom August 4, 2024 at 10:18 am

       That article in Bulgarian Military reported on an unconfirmed message on Telegram.

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    2. ebolapoxclassic August 4, 2024 at 11:03 am

       To be frank, what does it matter? Who says Russia isn’t allowed to ship offensive weapons to Iran, only ones it can pass off as “defensive”?

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    3. rudi from butte August 4, 2024 at 11:04 am

       They could care less what the USA says or thinks. Simplicius is a joke. Main stream joke. Just filler.

       CENTCOM commander probably sent to ME to make sure we don’t respond. Remember the pics of tough guy Tommy Franks in his Camp outfit running the world from Florida?

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11. JohnA August 4, 2024 at 9:02 am

    Re Lloyd Austin Cynically Revokes 9/11 Plea Deals

    Yet another classic example of the US not being agreement capable.

    Why would any country enter into negotiations with Washington? The ink wasn’t even dry on this deal.

    Reply ↓
    1. Joker August 4, 2024 at 9:28 am

       Why would any country enter into negotiations with Washington? Because it is forced to.

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12. timbers August 4, 2024 at 9:05 am

    Iran Keeps World on Pins and Needles Simplicius the Thinker

    “US redeploying forces” and “US to send more Combat Aircraft and Warships” to Middle East”.

    Overextended, anyone? If global military events were a bin ball game or a board game like Stratego, now would be a good time for a distraction that – based on past US behavior – would require a large commitment of US military assets, say in the Taiwan area. I am skeptical of MSM reports that Russia is/was planning to militarily help the Houthis, only because it’s Western MSM.

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13. The Rev Kev August 4, 2024 at 9:34 am

    “A company wanted to store carbon under US forests; it may get its wish”

    They only want to put all that carbon under US Forest Service lands because the Feds own them meaning that Senators can be offered the right incentives to make this happen. Thing is, the Feds also own vast tracts of land out west. So why not store it under deserts and wastelands instead so if it escapes, the damage will be minimal? Come to think of it, you could make it a twofer by storing carbon underground and having vast arrays of solar panels above ground. Anyway, why should CapturePoint be part of any deal? Aren’t they just a middleman getting their cut for any deals arranged? Put CapturePoint execs on the hook personally & financially for any damage done that would not be extinguishable in bankruptcy. You know, just like student debt.

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    1. jefemt August 4, 2024 at 9:50 am

       Breathtaking logic! Trademark the thinking, sell it as part of a platform to the Heritage Foundation- project 2030?

       Funny not so funny thing- with the Uniparty, it likely will happen regardless of which party is ‘in control’, and
       Capturepoint will be bought by Citi, Blackstone, or JP Morgan Chase- maybe all three in a JV.

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    2. flora August 4, 2024 at 10:58 am

       Carbon capture, aka carbon sequestraton, has been worked on for decades with govt grant funding.

       from MIT Review:

       The US just invested more than $1 billion in carbon removal

       https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/08/11/1077756/the-us-just-invested-more-than-1-billion-into-carbon-removal/

       Lots of ‘hope’, and ‘could’, and ‘might’ in these ventures.

       adding: “It “sets up the future where the United States government could be one of the largest purchasers of carbon dioxide in the world,” Andreasen says.”

       Can a carbon footprint tax be far behind? / ;)

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14. Carolinian August 4, 2024 at 9:44 am

    Re the debate question–this NYT account has considerably more detail than the USA Today version while, of course, wearing it’s anti-Trump heart on its sleeve. Trump is in litigation against ABC since their Stephanopolis called him a “rapist.” The court just allowed the suit to go forward.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/03/us/politics/trump-harris-debate-fox-news.html

    The Harris contention is that the Dems are allowed to change not only strategy but even candidates but the Trump people are not and if they do they are “cowards.” It’s all world wrestling trash talk of course and perhaps fair enough given Trump’s fondness for it. But it’s unclear whether Harris will prevail against unserious person Trump by showing herself to be even more unserious. She’s trying to Trump Trump but he had years on television to build up an audience while so far Harris is an insta-candidate being built from nothing by the media. Does she have any substance at all?

    As for the public, they may be relieved to have no debates.

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    1. Katniss Everdeen August 4, 2024 at 10:56 am

       As for the public, they may be relieved to have no debates.

       Given the candidate the dems have anointed, without a single vote being cast for her by their “constituencies,” I think the dems will be relieved to have no debates as well.

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       1. flora August 4, 2024 at 11:01 am

          I was looking forward to the Fox debate. High entertainment value. / ;)

          Reply ↓
15. i just don't like the gravy August 4, 2024 at 9:45 am

    I want to thank the blowflies for doing God’s work

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16. pjay August 4, 2024 at 10:14 am

    – ‘The end of progressive neoliberalism in Canada’ – Canadian Dimension

    This is a pretty good general discussion of something most NC readers already know: that like Democrats and Republicans in the US, “Liberals and Tories share a deep-seated commitment to market-based approaches. Both parties tackle socioeconomic challenges by giving corporations ever more incentives and subsidies and staying clear of regulating them…”

    But the article’s title reminded me of this:

    “Political philosopher Nancy Fraser famously coined the term “progressive neoliberalism” to describe governments that openly embrace equity and diversity ideals from social movements while actively defending corporate and financial sector interests. Bill Clinton paved the way for Barack Obama in the United States. Tony Blair was the face of it in the United Kingdom.”

    The author cites Fraser’s article, written in January 2017 just as Trump was about to take office. It is worth re-reading today:

    https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/progressive-neoliberalism-reactionary-populism-nancy-fraser/

    As with ‘professional-managerial class’, in my view ‘progressive neoliberalism’ is a very useful shorthand term to describe an important reality. As Fraser explains,

    “In its U.S. form, progressive neoliberalism is an alliance of mainstream currents of new social movements (feminism, anti-racism, multiculturalism, and LGBTQ rights), on the one side, and high-end “symbolic” and service-based business sectors (Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Hollywood), on the other. In this alliance, progressive forces are effectively joined with the forces of cognitive capitalism, especially financialization. However unwittingly, the former lend their charisma to the latter. Ideals like diversity and empowerment, which could in principle serve different ends, now gloss policies that have devastated manufacturing and what were once middle-class lives.”

    Reading Fraser’s article again, along with her subsequent exchange with Johanna Brenner, is worthwhile but also pretty depressing. Instead of heeding her advice for overcoming hegemonic effects of progressive neoliberalism that gave us Trump in the first place, liberal Democrats simply doubled-down on it. And here we are today.

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17. hamstak August 4, 2024 at 10:29 am

    Regarding the Haniyeh assassination, in yesterday’s (8/3) Links commenter Grebo suggested that a Hellfire missile may have been employed as the the payload (8-9kg) is close to that which the IRGC said was involved (7kg) and also qualifies as short-range (.5-11km). These can be launched via drone.

    This sounds like a fairly compelling theory; however the two drone platforms mentioned in the Wiki article are the MQ-1 Predator and RQ-9 Reaper. While not enormous, neither are they particularly small — it would seem difficult to conceal them for transport into the country given their size and that the wings do not appear to be retractable or detachable; furthermore, I suspect they require a runway (though perhaps nothing too lengthy or pristine is required. Could they have flown in and returned undetected from, say, Iraqi Kurdistan (~250 miles)?

    Another possibility is that the Hellfire has been adapted for some other, smaller profile drone which could have taken off from inside of Iran (after having been smuggled in) — but that is completely unsubstantiated speculation.

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18. Mikel August 4, 2024 at 10:47 am

    “We Owe It to Ourselves to Shun These People Mercilessly” Discourse Blog

    “…This product is basically an AI chatbot that you take around with you. Its most likely practical application is as a more sophisticated version of the Lifealert pendants elderly people have had for decades, but a company can’t simply say that. They have to pretend it is the cure for social isolation like it is an advancement in consumer technology that changes the interior and emotional lives of the people who use it…”

    Indeed. I’ve always said much of this app tech is great for the handicapped and infirm. And there are a good number of physical and mental functions people have that are “use it or lose it.”

    SillyCon Valley claims they are about the future, but they are the Sultans of Short-Term Thinking – usually thinking of privilage and profit for themselves first and foremost.

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19. more news August 4, 2024 at 10:53 am

    https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/118281
    🇪🇪 This poor Estonian athlete failed because Kaja Kallas was “opressed” by the Soviets.

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    1. ebolapoxclassic August 4, 2024 at 11:05 am

       Just in case there’s someone who hasn’t seen this gem already: Average Estonian VS Indonesian Twitter Argument
       

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20. Oldtimer August 4, 2024 at 11:11 am

    https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/everything-is-collapsing-israeli-reservists-confront-toll-of-protracted-war-430811e4?mod=hp_lead_pos6

    Click to Edit – 

    

    https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/everything-is-collapsing-israeli-reservists-confront-toll-of-protracted-war-430811e4?mod=hp_lead_pos6

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