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Links 11/19/2024

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A 35,000-Year-Old Saber-Toothed Cub Was Unearthed in Siberia—and It Still Had Its Whiskers and Claws Smithsonian (Paul R)

How dogs were implicated during the Salem witch trials Religion News (Robin K)

Scientists discover unusual new bacteria in deep-sea coral Washington Post (Robin K)

Nearly 80 Million Americans Expected to Travel over Thanksgiving AAA (Kevin W)

The Painted Protest: How politics destroyed contemporary art Harpers. Anthony L: “Just for the first line: ‘My mother lost both of her legs on the way to the Barbican Art Gallery.'”

#COVID-19

Climate/Environment

Denmark to convert 15% of farmland to forest to cut fertiliser use Channel News Asia (Carla R)

Sad reason world’s second-largest city has shut all schools 9News (Kevin W)

Snow hits London as Arctic chill grips Britain: Temperatures drop to -11.2C as sleet blankets the capital and snow hits the Midlands with trains axed, schools closed and cars stuck Daily Mail

Chronicles of Collapse Los Angeles Review of Books. Anthony L hoists:

This is the contradiction at the heart of Amrith’s book. He writes a brilliant global history, one of the very best I have read in many years. He truly synthesizes large fields of research into a compelling narrative that places a great conundrum at the heart of modern human history—how the use of fossil fuels has opened up unprecedented levels of human freedom that threaten the very heart of that project in the near future. But, having diagnosed the problem and explained it in language any reasonably educated reader can easily understand, Amrith almost completely drops the ball on thinking through a concrete path toward solutions, which is what readers most desperately need.

China?

EU to demand technology transfers from Chinese companies Financial Times

President Xi: population decline could benefit China’s future development Pekinology

China’s lonely-heart crisis fuels a growing ‘companionship economy’ South China Morning Post

Japan

Japan mulls tougher sanctions on Russia, North Korea News Az

Xi and Ishiba meet amid tensions as China urges Japan to ‘properly handle’ history Independent. Ouch.

European Disunion

Schwachkopf eugyppius (Micael T)

Baerbock threatens China with consequences Tagesschau via machine translation (guurst). How has the EU managed to find so many aggressively stupid women to put in positions of authority?

How German Imperialism Rebranded Itself as Feminist Jacobin (Stephen S)

German manufacturers warn of the sector’s ‘formidable crash’ BBC

Pacifism” and the Greed of Swedish Capital: Riga Unsuccessfully Attempts to Force Stockholm Shareholder to Work for Latvian Militarism International Affairs (Micael T)

Undersea cable between Germany and Finland severed BBC (Kevin W)

Old Blighty

Minister says food shortage plan in place as farmers threaten strike action over tax Independent. The tax is a disastrously foolish inheritance tax we included in Links and elicited a detailed takedown by Revenant earlier this month.

Israel v. The Resistance

Israel, Hezbollah trade fire as UN slams worsening conditions in Gaza Aljazeera

Nearly 100 food aid trucks violently looted in Gaza, UN agencies say Reuters

Hezbollah says it hit military targets in Tel Aviv with swarm of combat drones Anadolu Agency

How Yemen is redefining regional power The Cradle

Jewish organisations around the world condemn German parliamentary resolution on anti-Semitism DiEM25 (Robin K)

New Not-So-Cold War

US decision on long-range missiles will spark immediate response, Russian lawmakers say Guardian

Why Putin won’t go nuclear following ATACMS decision Ian Proud (Ignacio)

Putin approves Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine TASS (guurst). This was in the works but the timing of the approval turns out to have been useful.

G7 confirms pledge to impose severe costs on Russia for Ukraine war Reuters. And I want a pony.

Russian Military Traps Ukrainian Forces in Kursk Cauldron, Over 80 Enemy Fighters Killed Sputnik (Robin K)

Nobody wants to hear this: Ukraine’s Battle Fatigue London Review of Books (Anthony L)

Nordic neighbours release new advice on surviving war BBC

TO BEAT THE DEVIL: IN HONOR OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON Hal Freeman (Anthony L). I feel sad for Hal Freeman. He gives the impression of having a strong moral core, of being deeply upset by widespread propaganda and demonizing of various Others, wanting to do something about that. I wish he could get to the point of being satisfied with putting out the best information he can and not caring so much about persuading people. Sometime not being part of the problem is the best you can do. And having the nerve to put a stake in the ground is reaching more people than he realizes.

Imperial Collapse Watch

A Republic to Keep, an Empire to Lose Philip Pilkington

Nationwide IV Fluid Shortage Could Change How Hospitals Manage Patient Hydration KFF Health News

Trump 2.0

What happened to America First? Trump’s cabinet picks seem more neocon than isolationist Thomas Fazi, Unherd

The Foreign Policy Cabinet of the Supposedly ‘Anti-War’ President-Elect Begins to Take Shape Issue Chronicle. Kevin W: “Interesting visual chart at top of article.”

Musk, top Trump adviser clash over Cabinet picks Axios

Trump shock waves ripple through fragmented G20 Politico

The unconventional economic theory behind Trump’s sweeping tariff plans Washington Post (Robin K)

DOGE Will Wind Up Costing the Government More Money Ian Welsh (Micael T)

The 9 GOP senators who could derail Trump’s Cabinet picks The Hill

2024 Aftermath

On the Democratic Party’s Cult of Powerlessness Matt Stoller. Important.

Pennsylvania’s Top Court Tells Counties to Stop Defying Its Ballot Order New York Times (Kevin W)

Mace introduces bill to bar trans women from Capitol restrooms The Hill

Our No Longer Free Press

a href=”https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/morning-joe-bends-knee-to-fascist” rel=”nofollow”>‘Morning Joe’ Bends Knee to ‘Fascist’ Trump Ken Klipperstein

AI

Letting chatbots run robots ends as badly as you’d expect The Register (Kevin W)

AI Copyright Claimed My Last Video YouTube. BC

I saw this conflict coming.

Of all the choices, I think having the AI software developers owning copyright for all AI generated content would create a untenable situation where AI companies, like OoenAI, would end up claiming ownership of content and innovations well beyond art and creative writing. It would extend into medicine, science, and all manner of software enabled industry. Beyond the financial claims, copyright ownership would grant enormous power to enforce cease and desist orders to shut down competition (commercial or political).

Caveat Emptor

Four Passengers Die in Burning Tesla After Electronic Doors Seemingly Won’t Open Futurism. Paul R: “Yikes. There’s a manual door release inside but it’s apparently confusing to use. Nightmare fuel.”

Tesla (TSLA) stock up on report Trump wants to ease self-driving rules CNBC. Paul R: “I heard Trump was going to send killer robots after us, but I didn’t think they meant THIS.”

Class Warfare

Weddings have long been expensive. Now, guests are paying, too CNN (Kevin W)

Who uses libraries? Even in the stacks, there’s a political divide Washington Post (Robin K)

NYC supers say new trash rules are ruining their lives Gothamist

Antidote du jour (via):

And a bonus (guurst). Please turn your sound on:

A second bonus (Chuck L):

And a third (Chuck L):

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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46 comments

    1. The Rev Kev

      To modify a quote from Joe Biden to describe this legislation-

      ‘If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for Zionism or not, then you ain’t Jewish’.

      Reply ↓
    2. AG

      Thanks but that won´t change our dire state with ending free speech re: Israel. The entire production of academic and artistic content attempting criticism of Israel is crippled. Be it about what Israel did, what it is doing, and what it might be doing in the future.

      And who knows what other restrictions are in the pipeline depending on the deterioration of the socio-economic fabric. I fear this is only the beginning.

      Imagine even a benign documentary as “No Other Land” is being boycotted by some cinemas – in the current situation! And that was made for over 5 years.

      Content on Russia has already been made impossible unless it proves loyalty to Russophobic narratives.
      But yeah, we are fucking biiig democracy.

      Reply ↓
    1. albrt

      As is often the case, Welsh has some really good points. Starting with the fact that contractors usually cost more than employees doing the same job over the long term.

      Look for connections between DOGE and a wave of “uber for government functions” disruptor firms.

      Reply ↓
  3. The Rev Kev

    “Four Passengers Die in Burning Tesla After Electronic Doors Seemingly Won’t Open”

    ‘A fifth rider, an unidentified woman in her twenties, narrowly survived the crash after a bystander smashed open a window, allowing her to escape the burning vehicle.’

    So what about those Tesla trucks with their bulletproof glass windows? If a cop was there, he still couldn’t shoot the windows out. I ain’t going in one of them until they come equipped with a James Bond-style Aston Martin ejector seat-

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY8zxRjOuak

    Better than frying alive.

    Reply ↓
    1. griffen

      Cynical view, but a short selling investment firm must think possibly, that their Christmas stockings won’t feature coal next month. What a tragic, horrid headline for a leading edge EV manufacturer. Does a functional engineer work there who just might have some ideas for preserving the car owner(s) health or crafting better outcomes in such a dire scenario…

      And I’m curious what is included in the fine print of the manuals. Ala,scene from the Dallas Buyer’s Club to paraphrase …” it’s your body and health, now it’s your medicine, you can’t be suing us…”. \sarc

      Reply ↓
    2. Terry Flynn

      Whilst I’ve tried to avoid YT “blob-initiated” posts, one struck my eye. Musk doesn’t want Tesla to fail. Yet Trump seems wedded to policies that are anti-Tesla – “drill baby drill”.

      What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

      Pass the popcorn.

      Reply ↓
      1. i just don't like the gravy

        All Musk has to do is kneecap the domestic EV competition and prevent Chinese EV imports. Tesla doesn’t actually have to produce good cars at all.

        Reply ↓
        1. Emma

          Not just Chinese EVs. The European auto manufacturers are all working closely with Chinese partners on their EVs. So Trump slapping a tariff on European imports will benefit the sale of his deadly cars and ugly trucks.

          Whether Americans can afford to buy any new car after paying 100 percent more for all their clothes, electronics, etc., is another matter.

          Reply ↓
        2. Afro

          Tesla does need to produce good cars. Even if we ignore China consumers still have other options, from Toyota to Ford.

          Those bills to ban the internal combustion engine by 2035 are almost certainly going to be amended by 2035.

          Reply ↓
    5. Mikel

      This weekend I had a AAA serviceman entertain me with tales of rescuing EV owners. Weird shit like a Tesla not operating at all in an underground parking lot. The driver couldn’t even get the car to unlock. When it was towed out – finally after getting the right sized tow with the right equioment – the car came to life.

      But as for the gory firetraps, I also think of the disaster waiting to happen in that underground lool for cars that Musk was behind. And his EV bus design had me wondering about getting trapped. Looked like a moving coffin.Something like that needs obvious manual exits.

      Reply ↓
  4. Steve H.

    On the latest Radio Hour, Ralph welcomes author, statistician, and professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) to discuss the wars in Gaza and Lebanon and give us his take on the election results.

    Reply ↓
  5. Terry Flynn

    15cm of snow lying heavy on the ground here in pretty much exact middle of England. We’ve had snow in November before but not like this in my 50ish years on this planet. Going from practically summer to this overnight (the high pressure anticyclone has moved) is catching a lot of people’s attention.

    Meanwhile YT is suggesting more and more vids about breakdown of the AMOC. One expert had 75% of the commenters saying things to the effect of “My mind is made up and it is because the shelf behind him is jam packed full of high quality hard liquor”.

    The “cold blob” east of Greenland cannot be ignored. Suddenly that silly movie seems merely “a bit exagerrated” rather than “downright stupid”.

    Reply ↓
  6. Mikerw0

    I have been in the anti monopoly, anti neoliberal economic camp for decades. As such, I have been an avid reader of Stoller. I think what he writes and his analysis is important. This is quite a good piece.

    As we have throughout history, we have entered a transitionary period. The neoliberal consensus is collapsing across the world. Look at the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and yes even Japan. What we don’t know is what new consensus will emerge. Either way, if we allow the current monopoly system to continue, and think of them as powerful governments without control over them (if X or Meta or Amazon want to ban you, or a business, or a political view they are free to do so. Incredible power in the hands of a few.) What I fear is the damage Trump will due to the more marginal members of our society (gays, women, disabled, etc.) in fostering the emergence of a new consensus and how he and our current oligarchs will reshape things. We just don’t know.

    Reply ↓
  7. The Rev Kev

    “Trump shock waves ripple through fragmented G20”

    Of course old Joe still wanted to make this G20 meeting all about the Ukraine saying-

    ‘The United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Everyone around this table, in my view, should as well. And, by the way, Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine led to the highest-record food crisis in all of history.’

    The guys at The Duran joke that whenever Neocons have their plans blow up in their faces, that the first thing that they do is double down. That is why I laughed aloud when Keir Starmer said at the G20 that ‘ “we need to double down” on support for Ukraine’ and ‘pledged that Ukraine was “top” of his agenda at this week’s G20 summit of world leaders and told reporters that “there’s got to be full support as long as it takes”.’

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/joe-biden-keir-starmer-ukraine-olaf-scholz-g20-b2648631.html

    I’m sure that most non-western G20 members are heartily sick of being lectured about the Ukraine by now.

    Reply ↓
  8. Carla

    Re: China’s lonely-heart crisis fuels a growing ‘companionship economy’ — The photograph belies the text of the item, which says young Chinese go online offering to pay someone to “talk” to them. Clearly, these young ‘uns could turn to each other and converse if they wished to. They are offering to pay someone not physically present to chat online with them. Ask anyone regularly around American teens; they also often prefer online “conversation” to interacting with those in their physical presence.

    Reply ↓
    1. AG

      …doesn´t Japan have companies offering customers a service where actors are being paid for acting as fake friend in real life for some private purpose like ceremonies, parties, business meetings…

      p.s. “Chinese go online offering to pay someone to “talk” to them” – reminds me of Spike Jonze´s Sci-Fi movie “Her” (2013)

      Reply ↓
      1. Terry Flynn

        Rich Chinese whose sister can’t get an Australian visa just offer a load of cash to a gay male who has Australian citizenship in order to marry and get in.

        Allegedly.

        Reply ↓
        1. The Rev Kev

          I met an Aussie guy in Europe back in the early 80s that was marrying a Polish girl to get her out from behind the old iron curtain for cash as well. That was back during the First Cold War of course.

          Reply ↓
          1. AG

            That has bit of “Birthday Girl” (2001) vibe to it – the Polish girl is from RU played by Nicole Kidman, the Aussie guy is an Englishman, Ben Chpalin.
            Being Russian and all that – of course – the truth is much darker and more twisted. Since Russian doll has bad bad Russian crooked boy-friend (Vincent Cassel) and is in fact a fraud.
            Positive upside of that being 2001 – the couple ends up going to Moscow as happy-ending.

            Reply ↓
        2. AG

          sounds like a nice idea for a “GREEN CARD” (1990) remake, with the necessary anti-Chinese twist to make the cut (of course ex-Chinese market)

          Reply ↓
  9. Trees&Trunks

    Denmark, farmlands and forests. How about crop rotation as an alternative to reduce fertiliser usage?
    These WEF evils are really trying their hardest to create food shortage and starvation.

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      Working link for that ” Denmark to convert 15% of farmland to forest to cut fertiliser use” article at-

      https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sustainability/denmark-convert-15-farmland-forest-cut-fertiliser-use-4754451

      Crop rotation sounds like an excellent idea – as well as getting away from industrialize farming. But those trees that they want to plant. Will they only be just one single type making mono forests? Will they be of a type that down the track can be harvested for profit? Any consideration of mixing different types of trees to make real forests that birds and animals can make their homes in and make it an actual ecosystem?

      Reply ↓
      2. Polar Socialist

        Not just crop rotation, but even letting some trees and undergrowth to reclaim fields once in a decade and do some animal husbandry there. Chicken, pig and cow shit would be a natural way to renew the soil and the growing roots would unpack the compressed ground.

        Reply ↓
  10. none

    What happened to America First? Trump’s cabinet picks seem more neocon than isolationist Thomas Fazi, Unherd

    I have been wondering whether the GOP warmonger establishment (it has one just like the dems do) has spent the past 4 years bending Trump’s ear / twisting his arm, to make it so he’s one of them now.

    Reply ↓
  11. DJG, Reality Czar

    Yesterday, I commented on a kind of (negative) beauty, Hillary Clinton wandering the woods, snarfing down fly agaric (Amanita muscaria).

    Today, by chance, I found this concert of about a year ago. Positive beauty. So I’ll thread-jack.

    Superb work by Laurie Anderson, in honor of Cavafis:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI15W-BBhrw&list=WL&index=1

    Poem (1):
    Konstantinos Cavafis
    Waiting for the Barbarians

    https://www.onassis.org/initiatives/cavafy-archive/the-canon/waiting-for-the-barbarians

    In italiano (the Italian translations may be better than those into English):

    http://www.sagarana.net/rivista/numero18/poesia4.html

    Poem (2): wonderfully beautiful (+ it has become part of my ethos):
    Ithaka

    https://www.onassis.org/initiatives/cavafy-archive/the-canon/ithaka

    In italiano:

    https://lyricstranslate.com/en/ithaki-itaca.html#songtranslation

    Reply ↓
  12. JohnA

    Re Old Blighty and
    “Minister says food shortage plan in place as farmers threaten strike action over tax Independent. The tax is a disastrously foolish inheritance tax we included in Links and elicited a detailed takedown by Revenant earlier this month.”

    I am neither an accountant, an economist, or a farmer, and have no dog in this fight. However, you have on occasion linked to a British accountant and tax specialist, Richard Murphy and his funding the future website. There, he has posted several pieces arguing that the proposed inheritance tax is actually good for farmers and the loudmouth bullying petrolhead leader of the farmers revolt in the media, Jeremy Clarkson, has admitted in print, he bought his farm as a tax avoidance scheme. In effect, the rich are buying up farmland for financial engineering motives to the detriment of farming in Britain. E.g.
    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2024/11/19/farmers-need-to-stop-talking-nonsense/

    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2024/11/19/why-inheritance-tax-charges-are-really-good-for-real-farmers-but-not-for-financial-whizz-kids/

    As mentioned, I have neither the expertise, nor the background, nor the motivation, to argue either way, but I do think it is worth getting the other side of the argument, rather than rushing to label it ‘a disastrously foolish inheritance tax’.

    Reply ↓
  13. NotTimothyGeithner

    Re: the 3x bonus anecdote

    When I was a similar age, the neighbors’ giant horse did the same thing just for me. He came over quickly to my dad, but he knew dad would have a treat.

    Reply ↓
  14. mrsyk

    Thanks for the Hal Freeman essay. The last line (from Kristofferson’s To Beat the Devil), “‘Cause I don’t believe that no one wants to know”. I’m thinking some iteration of this flows the vein of those who prowl this place.
    Kris Kristofferson is one of my all time heroes. His passing this year hit hard, another voice gone leaving a marker of time past.
    I recommend his fifth album Spooky Lady’s Sideshow.

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      Yeah, here is a link to that breaking news-

      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-20/russia-says-ukraine-fired-us-made-missiles-at-military-facility/104621878

      The real story though is that the US has just attacked Russia with ATACMS. The only Ukrainian involvement was probably the Ukrainian driver who was called inside the van to press the firing button. This will not end well. Let’s see what Trump will say about this attack. If he goes along with old Joe’s attack, then Joe has got Trump boxed into supporting his Ukrainian policies some 60 days before Trump is even sworn in.

      Reply ↓
      1. Polar Socialist

        According to the Russian MoD the strike happened 3:25 in the morning, Moscow time. And in the Bryansk region, not defending the Ukrainians in the Kursk region.

        5 of the 6 missiles were shot down, the last one was only damaged and caused a fire on a “technical area”. No damages or casualties recorded.

        Reply ↓
  16. Emma

    That wedding guest article feels so surreal in 2024. Have these first world problem noticers missed the record levels of homelessness and childhood poverty in this country?

    Reply ↓
  18. The Rev Kev

    “Baerbock threatens China with consequences”

    ‘How has the EU managed to find so many aggressively stupid women to put in positions of authority?’

    Simple. Smart, independent-minded women are shunted aside and are not allowed anywhere near the gears of power as they may be unwilling to go along with ‘the consensus.” It takes a certain level of blockheadedness for someone to threaten China and think that it will be consequence free. But it seems that Baerbock is up to the challenge.

    Reply ↓
  19. John Anthony La Pietra

    I think there’s a less-than sign missing from the start of the Ken Klippe*N*stein (no R, please) link.

    Reply ↓

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