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Links 1/23/2025

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“Supergiant” sea bug named after Darth Vader found in South China Sea CBS

Do Insects Feel Pain? The New Yorker

Archaeologists Are Finding Dugout Canoes in the American Midwest as Old as the Great Pyramids of Egypt Smithsonian

James Galbraith – The Origins of the Modern Era of the Federal Reserve: Five Books Brave New Europe

California Burning

UPDATE on CA Lithium Battery Plant fire near “Salad Bowl of America” (produces 70% of our greens) Jordan Chariton, Threadreader

Thousands evacuate Hughes Fire near LA as California faces fresh threats Axios

Syndemics

USDA Updates Mammalian Wildlife With HPAI H5 List Avian Flu Diary. “As the HPAI H5 virus continues to find new mammalian hosts it is likely to become more deeply entrenched in our shared ecology, increasing the risks that it will find new evolutionary pathways that were unavailable to it when it was primarily a disease of birds.”

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone introduced in Northern Ireland Love Ballymena

COVID study: 40% of children still infectious after symptom resolution Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy

Climate

Snow in New Orleans (1):

Snow in New Orleans (2):

The hidden cost of unreliable insurance 3 Quarks Daily

China?

Salary caps spread in China’s finance sector amid ‘common prosperity’ drive South China Morning Post

Drone pilots emerge as next sought-after profession in China CGTN

* * *

Rubio backs Manila, condemns Beijing’s ‘dangerous’ actions in South China Sea South China Morning Post

Transcription matters Language Log. “Rubio” in Chinese.

* * *

DeepSeek: How China’s AI Innovators Are Challenging The Status Quo Forbes. Commentary:

China’s second-largest foundry hires former Intel executive to lead advanced node development Tom’s Hardware

Dutch government excludes most ASML sales to China from ‘dual use’ export data Reuters

* * *

Chinese tests of seawater near Fukushima nuclear plant show no impact on marine life South China Morning Post

Myanmar

No laughing matter: Meet the junta’s court jesters Frontier Myanmar

China and the Wars in Myanmar The Irrawaddy

The New Great Game

Opinion: Protests in Georgia should involve not just middle class but all social groups JAM News

Syraqistan

Why is Israel launching a crackdown in the West Bank after the Gaza ceasefire? AP

IDF launches Operation Iron Wall against Palestinian terror in Jenin as PA exits Jerusalem Post. Commentary:

Trump’s Middle East envoy will enter Gaza as part of ‘inspection team’ Al Jazeera. Steve Witkoff.

Dear Old Blighty

Keir Starmer appoints Jeff Bezos as his “first buddy” Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic

New Not-So-Cold War

Ukraine Is Burning Through 155mm M777 Howitzer Barrels So Fast The U.S. Army Can’t Keep Up The Warzone. The deck: “The U.S. Army is now trying to meet a requirement to produce at least 30 new barrels for M777 howitzers every month.” Thirty. Oh.

* * *

Zelenskyy: Ukraine needs at least 200,000 peacekeepers to prevent renewed Russian aggression Ukrainska Pravda

Trump tells Putin to end ‘ridiculous war’ in Ukraine or face new sanctions BBC

We want to end war in Ukraine so that it does not restart in two to four years – US secretary of state and Russian Foreign Ministry claims to see “small window of opportunity” for agreements under Trump Ukrainsaka Pravda

Trump Administration

Trump’s Crypto Assets Are Nonsense. The Cash They Throw Off Is Very Real Forbes

* * *

How Trump’s executive orders will roll out — if courts allow them Al Jazeera

Trump’s glaring policy contradictions are both a blessing and a curse South China Morning Post

Can the United States Actually Purchase Greenland? Foreign Policy

* * *

Department of Justice freezes all civil rights division cases: report FOX

Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring Science

* * *

US military sends troops to Mexico border amid Trump immigration crackdown Al Jazeera

‘Scare tactic’: Bonta slams Trump move targeting local officials over immigration Los Angeles TImes

* * *

Trump suggests states should handle emergency response instead of FEMA Axios

Cracks emerge in House GOP after speaker’s threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditions AP

* * *

Demystifying Jared Isaacman, Trump’s NASA nominee Space News

Susan Collins: ‘Troubling’ that Hegseth FBI report omitted key information The Hill

Spook Country

VICTORY! Federal Court (Finally) Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional Electronic Frontier Foundation

Tools for Thinking About Censorship Ex Urbe

Davos

‘The elephant is in the room’: Trump’s return on everyone’s lips at Davos France24

Digital Watch

Decentralized Social Media Is the Only Alternative to the Tech Oligarchy 404 Media

How often do unexpected scientific discoveries occur? More often than you might think Nature

Zeitgeist Watch

Mississippi politician files ‘Contraception Begins at Erection Act’ WLBT. “As written by Sen. Bradford Blackmon, the bill would make it ‘unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo.'” I assume parody, as for example:

Supply Chain

World’s top wheat exporter makes concerning decision after experiencing heavy losses: ‘The profitability of grain crops is approaching zero’ The Cooldownd

Imperial Collapse Watch

World’s first submarine-launched drones that swims and flies poses new threat to US Interesting Engineering

Why Aircraft Carriers Are Becoming Obsolete Philip Pilkington, The National Interest

Class Warfare

What the global elite reveal to Davos sex workers: High-class escort spills the beans on what happens behind closed doors – and how wealthy ‘know the world is doomed, so may as well go out with a bang’ Daily Mail

Amazon closing all Quebec warehouses, laying off more than 1,700 workers CTV. Commentary:

Stinky bloom of ‘corpse flower’ enthrals thousands BBC

Vegetable Garden Protection Act South Arkansas Reckoning

Antidote du jour (Thomas Fuhrmann):

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

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87 comments

  1. bertl

    Why is Israel launching a crackdown in the West Bank after the Gaza ceasefire? AP

    They just can’t help themselves when it comes to attacking, maiming and killing Palestinians..

    Reply ↓
    1. JohnA

      Why is Israel launching a crackdown in the West Bank after the Gaza ceasefire?

      The answer is exactly the same as for the question ‘why does a dog lick its balls?’

      – because it can.

      Until the west stops funding and supplying the weapons that enable Israel to continue acting with utter impunity in ethnically cleansing the Palestinians, nothing will fundamentally change.

      Reply ↓
    2. The Rev Kev

      The Israelis under Netanyahu are really full of themselves at the moment. When Netanyahu was sending his congratulatory message to Trump, he said he looked forward to working with Trump ‘to return the remaining hostages, to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and end its political rule in Gaza’ but said it in a bombastic way that these were actual demands on Trump and not hopes. He actually had the gall to give Trump his marching orders.

      Reply ↓
      1. bertl

        Obviously, Netayahu won’t allow the proceedings to go through to the third stage, blaming the Palestinians for the breakdown. President Trump will have every incentive to blame the Israelis and he will, therefore, be given the opportunity to suddenly change it from being a Palestinian problem to being a Jewish problem.

        The papers showing that JFK was going to make the ADL (the forerunner of AIPAC) register as a foreign agent well in time for the 1964 election were on his desk ready to sign when was murdered, and that is a useful precedent and a powerful argument to complete a necessary task.

        I think the future is not going to play as well for Israel as Netanyahu seems to think.

        Blinken, a self declared Zionist, got a Biden pardon and, unfortunately for him he can be thoroughly questioned on pretty much anything on pain of life imprisonment if he lies or refuses to testify, as will be the case with other Jewish and non-Jewish Zionists pardoned by Biden.

        President Trump is governing with a much deeper understanding of politics than he had in his first term, and he will be aware that what is happening on the surface is generally the opposite of what is really taking place. And Trump, perhaps more than any other President, has the persuasive ability to reverse policies if they are working against American interests, the interests of the American taxpayer, and the interests of the long term success of the MAGA movement by gaining the support of America’s youth. And the continuing support of Israeli’s particular form of nihilistic Zionism can be seen not to be in the US interest once we stray out of Europe, an area which is now of little consequence to the US.

        I think, long before the mid-sessional elections, we will see a profound shift in the relationship between the US and Israel under President Trump who, whatever else he may be, is a man with the strength of will – and the courage – to change the course of history for the better.

        Reply ↓
  2. The Rev Kev

    “Opinion: Protests in Georgia should involve not just middle class but all social groups”

    Unintentionally saying the quite bit out loud. That the protestors in Georgia are coming from a small but privileged part of the population and has no real support among the majority of the population aka the “deplorables.” This article makes no mention of the fact that those ordinary people that do not do so as they see the potential for their country to be taken over by foreign interests again and once more leading to another war against Russia. They have been there, done that and have gotten the t-shirt and have no desire to repeat the experience. Zelensky’s Ukraine is not the hill that they want their country to die on.

    Reply ↓
    2. Anon

      I was in Georgia, in Tbilisi, right before Christmas, when the former president was still saying that she wouldn’t step down on December 29th. I went to check out the protests at the Parliament building on a Saturday night. (We had holiday plans to meet a family member in Tbilisi, but they work for a quasi-US-government entity and weren’t allowed to travel to Tbilisi, due to the ‘violent protests,’ at the last minute–we met them in another country.) Having read many articles about the protests in Georgia, I was half-expecting to find a dozen people there, since I suspected media gas-lighting…

      There were actually a couple thousand people at the Parliament, singing, taking selfies, little kids blowing whistles. There were barely a dozen Georgian cops there, all well away from the crowds–far less cops than there would be at a rally in the US. The mood was gently nationalistic (Georgian flags and the big white furry hats), with a few anti-Russian, anti-Putin signs. I walked around the crowd for quite a while, and I was the only obvious American there–noone in suits and dark glasses, if you know what I mean. People said there had been a Christmas festival on the river, and crowds had come to the Parliament building after. There was one guy in a MAGA hat that most people seemed to be avoiding. Not a hint of violence or danger or cop crackdowns; lots of little kids and families.

      My conclusion–there is clearly anti-government sentiment in Tbilisi, but as you say it might have a class character, or even better, an urban, relatively cosmopolitan character (from what I’ve read, Georgia broke for Georgia Dream in part because rural Georgians worried about economics outnumber urban Georgians who desperately want to bond with Europe). But the bellicosity of many of the msm articles I’ve read in the US (some found here on NC) was absolutely not reflected in the ‘protest’ I saw.

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev

        My thought has been that those protestors are there to try to force Georgia into the EU. And once that happens, a lot of those protestors will pack up their bags and move to a richer EU country to ply their skills. You see that with the Moldovan diaspora in the EU which still decides the votes in Moldova, even though they no longer live there.

        Reply ↓
    3. JohnnyGL

      “Excuse me, peons…would you be so kind as to join our protest? We’re concerned this is a bad look for us elites to be outside by ourselves without any of your kind.”

      Reply ↓
    4. duckies

      They need more of that NGO money, so that it can trickle down to all social groups. The one currently sent is only enough for a small part of the population.

      Reply ↓
    5. Carolinian

      Funny how it always seems to be like that these days whether it’s Venezuela or Ukraine. Even back in Tuchman’s “Distant Mirror” the merchant classes tended to side with the king–the enforcer of “order”–over the rabble.

      Perhaps these hobby revolutionaries would have more success by throwing the rabble a few table scraps so they too would grow to love “order.” But then who would they have to feel superior to?

      Reply ↓
  3. Zagonostra

    @JordanChariton
    Mainstream media BARELY covering this story. This fire, and potential contamination of local air, water, and farmland, affects not just local residents but all Americans. Near the plant is known as the “Salad Bowl of America.” Below is a list of greens and fruits produced here.

    Just as the Flint water contamination, train derailment in East Palestine, hurricane Helene devastation in NC, disappeared soon after it was reported. The MSM is not there to keep citizens informed and focused on what gov’t officials are doing or not doing, it’s there to keep the populace in a constant state of confusion.

    Reply ↓
    1. Es s Ce Tera

      Wasn’t that salad bowl of America already contaminated with perchlorate as far back to the early 2000’s and continuing to this day? The reason I don’t buy or eat veggies made in the US. Well, now I’ll just add hydrogen fluoride gas to the list.

      Reply ↓
  4. Zagonostra

    >Chinese tests of seawater near Fukushima nuclear plant show no impact on marine life South China Morning Post

    Feiyi’s underwater navigation abilities are particularly impressive, with its travel efficiency surpassing that of most existing cross-media drones.

    What is particularly of concern is the advance China has made with “robo dogs.” I can see these being outfitted with weapons and used for “crowd control.” I keep thinking about the phrase repeated by Howard Hughes in the film The Aviator, “the Future is here” and it’s starting to scare the hell out of me (don’t even want to think about nano technology.)

    https://youtu.be/AS1n99yruVU?si=ARgkecsyrIVRoYSZ

    Reply ↓
  5. Zagonostra

    @LongTimeHistory
    Amazon is closing ALL warehouses in Quebec after unionizing took place at 1 warehouse.

    Instead of working with first successful union of Amazon in North America, they chose to layoff all 1,950 workers.

    A clear threat to all workers that if they unionize—they will be fired.

    In a world where unions mattered on society as a whole, a threat to one union would be a threat to all. But what the British Empire perfected so well, divide and rule, allows companies like Amazon to get away with actions such as in Quebec.

    In isolated cases, Unions still matter. The company I work for recently settled with “Unite Here” union, the later was able to negotiate what I think was really good deal for their members. It took almost five years finalize the agreement.

    Reply ↓
    1. mrsyk

      Good point. I can’t help but chuckle at the “take my ball and go home” bs from Bezos, which strokes my priors on his character. What happens when unions organize across the mid Atlantic states?

      Reply ↓
    3. The Rev Kev

      The post office union in Quebec should slow-walk any Amazon deliveries in that Province out of sympathy with that union.

      Reply ↓
      1. Es s Ce Tera

        Knowing Quebec, I bet they are. And, in fact, now that I’ve said that, I’m wondering what Amazon was even thinking opening a warehouse in Quebec – the most militant and union-friendly province in Canada.

        That said, I hope other warehouses across Canada follow suit.

        Reply ↓
    4. earthling

      Amazon is in dire need of a massive buyers’ strike until their employment policies become humane.

      Unfortunately consumers would rather throw money at this despicable enterprise because it’s ‘so convenient’.

      Reply ↓
      1. Es s Ce Tera

        I’ve started buying from Better World Books as an alternative. This will be my alternative until further notice. I’m ok with the slightly longer delivery times. And a portion of every purchase goes toward literacy grants, education related nonprofits and funding libraries everywhere.

        Reply ↓
      1. Terry Flynn

        Yep. Plus we had a really difficult process in first Blair govt in sorting out gay age of consent. House of Commons was generally in favour of simply making it 16 (existing man-woman age). The Lords refused. Whether or not their argument regarding slower male sexual development is true, it created a headache given equal rights euro legislation.

        The final “squaring of the circle” made the age of consent 16 for any sex. HOWEVER if you are in a position of perceived power (teacher/in any branch of law enforcement etc) then to have sex with someone (m/f) aged 16 or 17 could put you in jail.

        I don’t argue this was right or wrong. But the process of negotiation to get a compromise was better than what happens today.

        Reply ↓
    2. true

      Pope would approve, if it was kept under the rug. LGBTs would complain about lack of same sex marriage for nine-year-olds.

      Reply ↓
        1. true

          By “you”, you mean the “western word”. A lot of things are wrong with it, and sexualization of kids is just one of those things.

          Reply ↓
    4. Es s Ce Tera

      Have you ever seen a children’s beauty pageant? It might as well be child prostitution.

      Americans love them but they were banned in France a few years ago.

      I don’t see western values as any different from the marriage of nine year olds.

      There’s also this:

      https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/child-marriage-research-action-network/crank-research-tracker/child-marriage-or-statutory-rape-a-comparison-of-law-and-practice-across-the-united-states/

      Reply ↓
  7. Wukchumni

    Big Don
    Big Don

    Ev’ry mornin’ at the White House you could see him arrive
    He claimed to be six foot three and weigh 225
    Kinda broad at the shoulder and loose at the lip
    And everybody knew, ya didn’t give no shit to Big Don

    Big Bad Don
    (Big Don)

    Nobody seemed to know where Don called home
    He just drifted into town from Mar-a-Lago and drank diet Coke all alone
    He’d often say too much, hardly quiet and shy
    And if you spoke crypto-you just said buy to Big Don

    Somebody said he came from the New York City scene
    Where he was born in Queens
    And a crashin’ blow from the Freedom Caucus team
    Sent a Louisiana fellow to the Speakership, Big Don

    Big Bad Don
    (Big Don)

    Then came the day on January 6th, no lyin’
    When a mob attacked the Capitol and policemen started dyin’
    Democrats were prayin’ and hearts beat fast
    And everybody thought that he’d reached his last, ‘cept Don

    Through the tear gas & melee of this man-made hell
    Watched a church mouse of a man that the electorate knew well
    Grabbed a hold of the GOP, gave out a groan
    And like a giant Oak tree, he just stood there alone, Big Don

    Big Bad Don
    (Big Don)

    And with all of his strength he gave justice a mighty shove
    Then the GOP yelled out, “There’s a man above the law-show him love”
    And a disgrace was sheltered from a would-be political grave
    Now there’s only one left down in Mar-a-Lago to save, Big Don

    With bluster and patriotism he wouldn’t back down
    Then came that rumble on November 5th on the ground
    And then because of inept Kamala & the Democrat con
    Nobody thought it was the end of the line for Big Don

    Big Bad Don
    (Big Don)

    Now they never went through with a verdict
    They just more or less decided to acquit
    These few words are written of his stand
    “At the bottom of all this skulduggery lies a big, big man, Big Don”

    Big Bad Don
    (Big Don)
    (Big Don)
    Big Bad Don

    Big Bad John, by Jimmy Dean

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnnHprUGKF0

    Reply ↓
  8. The Rev Kev

    ‘Mississippi politician files ‘Contraception Begins at Erection Act’ WLBT. “As written by Sen. Bradford Blackmon, the bill would make it ‘unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo.’”

    Not a good look for Mississippi this. If this Act ever became law, all I can say is that when those sperm exit, they had better see themselves an ovum and not a uvula.

    Reply ↓
    1. Wukchumni

      Every healthy male in his prime has around 100 million spermatozoa and typically all but a few go to waste.

      We should redouble our efforts in that regard and bring say 75 million of them to term.

      Reply ↓
      1. Terry Flynn

        I find it ironic that in the 1990s I did the (then difficult) task of tracing all my Irish mum’s cousins. 100 in total. The 48 on her dad’s side were the most difficult to find because most came from priests who left the priesthood and felt they had to emigrate to USA to marry etc.

        Pretty sure all their descendents love the Monty Python “every sperm is sacred” joke.

        Reply ↓
    2. vao

      […] without the intent to fertilize an embryo.

      Wait a minute. Isn’t an embryo an ovum already fertilized by a spermatozoid?

      Reply ↓
      1. mrsyk

        I believe you are correct, lol. Anyway, Vance hasn’t seen a sofa that he didn’t want to knock up, so I guess he’s safe.

        Reply ↓
      2. J

        Yikes!

        Talk about underage; There
        is no way that’s gonna be
        consensual.

        Sincere apologies to all for
        this entire comment, but the
        stupid just burns too much
        to leave it alone.

        Reply ↓
    3. KD

      There has been so much stupidity emanating from California in the last few months, you have to imagine that Mississippi just got jealous that they couldn’t catch any headlines. What says virtue signaling better than legislating erections? Someone needs to amend it to add a section banning flag burning and legalizing anabolic steroids to make it complete.

      Reply ↓
        1. ambrit

          Someone should work up a handy chart. Yeah, charts are always going up, right?
          I suspect that this is a stealthy attempt to make Mississippi the nation’s leader in Soylent Baby Green production.
          “Honey. Today is Soylent Green day.”
          “Oh, great! Mississippi Soylent makes the best dark meat. You can keep your Soylent Mick-nuggets.”
          “Oh stop it honey. Michigan Soylent also makes great Kebabs.”

          Reply ↓
    5. jefemt

      Bradford Jerome Blackmon (born December 21, 1988)[1] is an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician from Mississippi. A son of state representative Edward Blackmon Jr. and state senator Barbara Blackmon, he was elected in 2023 to succeed his mother in the Mississippi State Senate.[2][3]

      Might it be parody pointed at the New Regime and Project 2025?

      Reply ↓
    7. Eclair

      The Old Testament has already declared this to be a sin. It is ‘onanism,’ named after Onan, son of Judah, who was struck dead by God for lying with his wife just for the fun of it!
      I learned this in 6th grade Catholic school.

      Reply ↓
  9. heh

    Ukraine Is Burning Through 155mm M777 Howitzer Barrels So Fast The U.S. Army Can’t Keep Up The Warzone. The deck: “The U.S. Army is now trying to meet a requirement to produce at least 30 new barrels for M777 howitzers every month.” Thirty. Oh.

    A barrel a day keeps the Rooskies away, or so the MIC say.

    Reply ↓
  12. Wukchumni

    Edifice Wrecks update: Faulty Towers edition

    With Los Angeles in need of housing, downtown’s empty office towers have appeal

    An uptick in lease signings in downtown Los Angeles has led some to hope the office rental market has hit bottom, but instead of waiting for tenants to return others are converting offices into apartments (LA Times)

    Reply ↓
    1. ChrisFromGA

      With all the sudden demand for short-term rentals, why not convert those edifice wrecks into stack-a-shacks?

      Rip out the cubicles, put in bunk beds, and add a shower or two on every floor … just like my old college dorm.

      Reply ↓
          1. Wukchumni

            The only river in LA was cemented over to save it for future generations, and it’d be hard to live in a van down by the river, thusly.

            Reply ↓
            1. ambrit

              And watch out for the giant ants in the drainage tunnels!
              We here in the North American Deep South : South Mississippi Department got only three inches of snow. Not even deep enough to track mammoths in! We are to the North of New Orleans. That should show us how capricious Mother Nature is. [Never live in a nature named Mom’s.]

              Reply ↓
  13. Lieaibolmmai

    I would like to introduce all of you to the Fediverse.

    We need to start using these more and fight our fear of missing out, and instead, create a new online ecosystem not dominated by AI, Algorithms, and Billionaires.

    My favorites: Mastodon, Pixelfed, WriteFreely, and Lemmy

    Reply ↓
    1. ChrisFromGA

      When I saw the term Fediverse, my first thought was that someone combined Jay Powell and his merry band of central bank pirates with the multiverse.

      … in the “Fediverse” there are infinite alternate realities, including one where Fed speakers dress up in gorilla suits and throw pies in each others faces, rather than ramble on about recalibration.

      However, I see it is something much more useful … thanks!

      Reply ↓
  14. ChrisFromGA

    “Cracks emerge in House GOP”

    Color me shocked, just shocked, I tell ya!

    With a narrow 218-215 majority, the weakest speaker since Denny Hastert, and a cast of characters like M T-G and Lauren “Hand jive” Boebert, is it any wonder that these guys and gals will be on the struggle bus for the foreseeable future?

    They had to cheat to elect a speaker, too. Nancy gets the last laugh here, I predict.

    Reply ↓
  15. Camacho

    What the global elite reveal to Davos sex workers: High-class escort spills the beans on what happens behind closed doors – and how wealthy ‘know the world is doomed, so may as well go out with a bang’ Daily Mail

    It turns out that an annual Davos sex report is a thing.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12961819/Global-elites-Davos-debauchery-caviar-champagne-escorts.html?ico=most_shared_articles_mol.web.desktop_
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11643585/Prostitutes-gather-Davos-annual-meeting-global-elite-demand-skyrockets.html

    Reply ↓
    1. AG

      Actually German daily BERLINER ZEITUNG did have a column by Salome Balthus (real name Hanna Lakomy) writing about her work in, er, essayistic form, which however was mostly tedious to read so I usually skipped it (she does the sex work out of fun being wealthy and married to a known painter). Americans would say she is “French” I guess…

      However in one of her last pieces – from Davos – she reported about some NATO men spilling beans about Ukraine not working, being a lie, etc. – i.e. that a “sex worker” would convey more accurate info on this war than most editors of that major paper.

      However her column for BZ was suspended by Oct. 2024. Rumour has it (I really do not know), due to this very report by her from Davos…

      So yes, it definitely is a thing. Even I have heard about it. I generally never engage into this kind of tabloid stuff.

      Some things since “Dream Story” by Schnitzler (“Eyes Wide Shut”) do not change…see also a TV drama series like “Girlfriend Experience”. (I am waiting for a bad follow-up “Boyfriend Experience”).

      Reply ↓
  16. mrsyk

    “Trump hits NIH”, In effect this is defunding the American postgrad university model. Is that the intent?

    Is this a new chapter of the “war on science”? It’s hard not to conclude that one intention is to make covid disappear by eliminating data collection.

    Reply ↓
  17. The Rev Kev

    “Demystifying Jared Isaacman, Trump’s NASA nominee”

    I really do not know about this guy. It may be that he will see what NASA is doing – or being forced to do by Congress – with fresh eyes and give it better direction. I doubt that he is a fanboy of Musk and Trump’s idea to go to Mars though as he must know about the radiation problem. Or he may end up making a dog’s breakfast of the whole thing. So maybe cut this guy some slack and see if he is any good or not? Guess that we will have to wait and see.

    Reply ↓
  18. ChrisFromGA

    DOGE eat DOGE

    (Sung to the tune of, “Dog eat Dog” by Ted Nugent)

    Sabotage on a MAGA street
    A bromance overturned
    You can’t do nothing to beat the cheats
    And if you don’t, you’ll get burned!

    Bloated gubmint behind every door
    Cost more than you got
    You best be up if you want some more
    Cause if you don’t remote work is shot!

    Chorus:

    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE
    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE
    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE

    Kamikaze from the Senate Floor
    A black swan on Wall Street
    Vivek couldn’t handle the madness no more
    He craved a governor’s seat … yeah, yeah, yeah!

    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE
    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE
    DOGE, DOGE, DOGE eat DOGE …

    (repeat chorus, watch D.O.G.E. eat itself …)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfOwssv5igQ

    Reply ↓
    1. Wukchumni

      Well done!

      DOGE has set their sights on the lowly Cent, and getting rid of Lincolns, pretty low hanging fruit and a worthy thing to be done with-not really having any worth.

      Reply ↓
  19. DJG, Reality Czar

    The Language Log article on the transcription of Rubio’s name into Chinese characters is highly amusing.

    On the other hand, it presents this quote from Rubio hisself:

    “If we stay on the road we’re on right now, in less than 10 years, virtually everything that matters to us in life will depend on whether China will allow us to have it – everything from the blood pressure medicine we take to what movies we get to watch,” Rubio told the hearing.

    This is pure infantilism. The endless sniveling victim — oopsie what I mean is, yes, that famous creature, the rugged American.

    Undoubtedly, Rubio is not in favor of the major economic restructuring that the U S of A is in need of: Single-payer health coverage with mental / dental. Repeal of the Taft-Hartley act and all so-called right-to-work laws. A clear path through the immigration process rather than exploitation, chaos, and fees. Jobs programs. And, oh, an end to tipping.

    Next: Rubio will beat up on Cuba, which isn’t allowing Americans to have at it.

    The current interregnum is fascinating. The U.S. national id is shriekingly on display.

    Reply ↓
  20. The Rev Kev

    “Trump’s Middle East envoy will enter Gaza as part of ‘inspection team’’

    It was so unlikely that the Israelis agree to this deal but then I began to wonder. He must have offered Netanyahu something big to agree to it. In his first term Trump pushed the Abraham Accords hard though he could never get the Saudis to agree. What if this is still on Trump’s mind these accords? But for that to even begin to happen this war/massacre has to stop first or there will never be any agreement with the Saudis and once you have them, then all the other Arab States will slowly come along. But Trump will have to make some big moves in the next four years to get the Arab States to abandon the Palestinians and make nice with the genociders without destabilizing their own governments.

    Reply ↓
    1. jefemt

      I saw a headline that Barron Trump is starting a real estate company. No need for a Broker’s License if you own it, right? Head over to Gaza with mentor bro’-in-law Kushner.
      Could be verrrry S L I C C

      Reply ↓
    2. Carolinian

      Trump’s new loyalty obsession may be bad news for Netanyahu, the notorious liar. There are stories that he has become pissed at Bibi’s confusion about who is really in charge.

      And a recent story in Time is getting some buzz.

      https://www.kitklarenberg.com/p/its-official-us-abandoning-ukraine

      https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/01/zelenski-having-failed-blaims-his-sponsors-.html

      The story says that the Bidenistas were always playing the Ukrainians with no intention of helping them to victory. It was all about Russia with Z the pawn and his people the cannon fodder for Biden and his gang.

      Reply ↓
    3. Michaelmas

      Rev Kev: He must have offered Netanyahu something big to agree to it.

      You know what he dangled in front of Netanyahu: U.S. support in an Israeli war on Iran.

      Which of course necessarily involves very active U.S. participation since on its own it’s not anything Israel can do.

      Everything you said about Trump and Russia applies here too, however. It’s a war that’s not within the power of the U.S. to win, with the added fillip that Iran can flatten tiny Israel with conventional missiles while it itself is — what? — two and a half times the size of Ukraine. But US pols — and Western ones generally — just are unable to grasp and accept that this is the Norma Desmond phase of U.S. military power.

      Reply ↓
    2. ambrit

      Will we soon be talking about the Cancun Clipper on the weather shows?
      Fun fact: New Orleans used to have the largest ski club in the United States.

      Reply ↓
  23. The Rev Kev

    “Can Trump Actually Purchase Greenland From Denmark?’

    Came across an interesting video the other day about Greenland. Back in 1867, SecState William H. Seward negotiated the Alaska Purchase but that is not all that he wanted to do. He also wanted to buy Greenland and then eventually force Canada into the Union. His idea was that if Canada was surrounded by the US on its southern borders, its eastern borders (Greenland) and its western borders (Alaska) with only the Arctic to the north, that this would eventually pressure Canada into an Anschluss with America. Fortunately when he started to talk about buying Greenland Congress just laughed at him.

    Reply ↓
  24. ambrit

    I know not if the Mississippi senator is serious or not with his “Erection Protection Bill,” but there are religious groups that teach that the sole purpose of coition is to create new life.

    Reply ↓
  25. The Rev Kev

    “Trump tells Putin to end ‘ridiculous war’ in Ukraine or face new sanctions”

    Trump still doesn’t get it. He thinks that this is all about making a deal and any territories going to the Russians just being a land deal. Putin needs to drop the boom on him hard to make him aware of what the real deal is. For Russia, this is an existential war which is why they have been so willing to spend so much blood and treasure fighting not only NATO but the Collective West as well. Losing this war means US nuclear missiles only 6 minutes from Moscow. Trump doesn’t really have leverage over Russia and threatening the most sanctioned country on the planet with more sanctions may not cut the mustard. Russia too can hit back hard but I do not think that Trump knows that – or has the curiosity to ask his staff. Does he know that the word of the US/EU is worth zip as they have betrayed every agreement that they made with Russia. Why should the Russians accept any promises that Trump makes? Even if Trump keeps those promises, what about the next President? Trump is supposed to be speaking to Putin by phone so I hope that all this comes up and Trump gets a sense of what he is dealing with but all his recent statements indicate he has no clue about the situation.

    Reply ↓
  27. GramSci

    Re: Do insects feel pain?

    Arriving finally, with much anguish, at the conclusion,

    «There isn’t any way, in any creature, to formally quantify or prove pain.»

    Curiously, there is only one passing reference to memory.

    There is ample evidence that insects have memory of the nociceptive experience of pain, but we should not let our woke anguish be resolved by evidence from conditioning experiments.

    Reply ↓
  29. JMH

    The reign of Biden & Company, the collective Biden, Biden, Blinken and the boys was bad. Worse than bad. (See the Rob Urie article.) I had a small flickering hope that something, anything, might change for the better. We do have a different set of billionaires, “masters of the universe” … (at the inauguration they were row two behind family and in front of appointed officials, the cabinet, in case you missed it.) … But to be there they had to bend the knee, kiss the ring, take an oath of fealty, something like that or maybe not.

    Anything to raise the spirits? Cease fire in Gaza is real, but also performative. Take a look at the fresh barbarity in the West Bank. Some notes of small cheer in the spate of executive orders and other things spewed forth on “The Day.”

    Then there is the. “Valdimir, you must stop the ridiculous war or I will sanction you.” Please. Sanctions? You will add to the 20,000 or more already in place. Have you learned nothing Donny? Rubio mouthing the usual hostile rhetoric vis a vis China … maybe that was for the troglodytes here at home. And so on and so forth.

    Maybe I can outlive Trump: the Sequel. Oh well, one day at a time.

    Reply ↓
  30. true

    In other news, Netanyahu confirms that Musk actually did a Zionist salute.

    https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1882392668497756279

    .@elonmusk is being falsely smeared.

    Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state.

    I thank him for this.

    Reply ↓

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