Monday, October 7, 2024

Will Human-to-Human Bird Flu (H5N1) Be the Long-Awaited “Disease X?”

A Bird Flu round-up, mostly from an institutional perspective.

Links 4/7/2024

ACA Plans Are Being Switched Without Enrollees’ OK

Unauthorized enrollment or plan-switching is emerging as a serious challenge for the ACA, also known as Obamacare.

Links 4/6/2024

The Duran: US Economic Decline and Rise of Greater Eurasia – Michael Hudson, Alexander Mercouris & Glenn Diesen

Some Naked Capitalism favorite experts, Michael Hudson, Alexander Mercouris, and Glenn Diesen, ponder the implications of the rise of Eurasia.

Europe’s New Fiscal Rules Harm Working People and Women, Boost Right-Wing Radicals

New EU fiscal rules, touted as creating and economic growth, actually embody a dangerous agenda to shred social safety nets.

2:00PM Water Cooler 4/5/2024

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics and pandemics, Mandy bobbing and weaving, swing states update, the employment situation, and crocheting and knitting (with musical accompaniments). ~

China’s Local Government Financing Vehicles (LGFVs): Ponzi Finance on Steroids

How China’s local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) became China’s most complex economic challenge.

Links 4/5/2024

Is Justice Finally Catching Up to Ursula von der Leyen?

Prosecutors “could theoretically seize phones and other relevant material from Commission offices or in other European countries,” which would not be a good look for her reelection campaign. 

Ukraine Plan of Crocus City Hall Attack to Start Ethnic Pogroms, Civil War in Russia

An in-depth discussion of the apparent Ukraine/Western plan to use the Crocus City Hall massacre to stoke ethnic hostilities in Russia.

Climate Engineering Carries Serious National Security Risks − Countries Facing Extreme Heat May Try It Anyway, and the World Needs to be Prepared

Like it or not, climate engineering is coming. What are some of the implications?

2:00PM Water Cooler 4/4/2024

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, and politics, Kennedy and ballot access, Shanahan’s money, integers, walking ~

“On a Relative Scale, There’s a Strong Case that Financialization Is Worse in the PRC than the US”

On a relative basis, China is more financialized than the US which is not a pretty picture.

Links 4/4/2024