4 more cats die of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. BNO 🙁
Americans are drinking half the coffee they did in the 40s Guardian. Kevin W: “There is literally no resemblance between 1940s coffee and modern coffee.” Moi: During my time in Sydney (2002-2004), Starbucks was opening up its first outlets in Australia because of course everyone wants its coffee. In fact, Australians grew up drinking good Italian coffee and correctly regarded Starbucks coffee as bitter coffee-flavored dishwater. The US headquarters were stunned to find Australians rejecting its coffee as inferior. I happened to go by one store as part of my rounds, and often saw a barista offering samples, not of coffee but of the sweet iced drinks with lots of whipped cream.
Singapore Airlines passengers did SOMERSAULTS, left the cabin covered in ‘pools of blood’ and BLACKED OUT as they were thrown around by extreme turbulence: Survivors describe horrific ordeal and injuries suffered on fatal flight Daily Mail. Pix are DM’s speciality and these really are bad. But so many people not buckled in! I can understand those who were so unfortunate as to be up and about getting hurt. But this is a reminder: when seated, seat belt on!
Chess Brat New York Magazine (Anthony L). I don’t understand the underlying story. How could one cheat in elite chess absent computer assistance, which given the physical setup seems like a very strained idea?
New Discovery Hints at What General Anesthesia Actually Does to The Brain ScienceAlert (Chuck L)
Scientists Develop New Technique To Thaw Frozen Brain Tissue Without Harm MedicalXpress
#COVID-19
Brain abnormalities in survivors of COVID-19 after 2-year recovery: a functional MRI study PubMed. Peer reviewed, from a Lancet specialist pub.
Covid infection isn’t the only thing that has caused the rise in type 2 diabetes, but it absolutely supercharges it.From the big Cedars Sinai study last year: https://t.co/rFJxbuy6nV pic.twitter.com/XopzK3bLE3
— tern (@1goodtern) May 22, 2024
Climate/Environment
California Exceeds 100% of Energy Demand With Renewables Over a Record 45 Days Elektrek
Why the world’s oceans are changing colour.BBC
Migratory fish populations have crashed by more than 80% since 1970, new findings show Guardian
A Vast, Untapped Source of Lithium Has Just Been Found in The US ScienceAlert (Chuck L)
Ferocious heat in North Africa and Mediterranean:47.0 at Jalu in LIBYA (can be hotter tomorrow),45.6 at Zwara right on the coast47C in Senegal,46C in Egypt and Mali, 45.4 in Algeria.
In GREECE up to 38.6C yesterday.The heat will move east and possibly increase even further. pic.twitter.com/oFWOWyoqUb
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 20, 2024
Exceptional heat in CHINA44.6C today in the northern Xinjiang Province.It has never been that hot in China this time of the year and it’s just 0.1C from the highest spring temperature in Chinese history. https://t.co/xXtq232XJp
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 20, 2024
Heatwave grips North India: Delhi’s Najafgarh hits record high of 47.4°C [117.3F], schools declare holidays Live Mint
Countries in the Gulf will be required to invest billions of dollars in flood-proofing infrastructure as the region grapples with the “new normal” of extreme weather, a report has found The National News
Freak storm leaves Polish city blanketed in hail Guardian
China?
“Under the Compact of Free Association, the U.S. has exclusive defence rights in Palau, where the military may use the country’s land, water and air. The Department of Defence is building reinforced foundations and pads for a tactical mobile over-the-horizon radar. “We are one https://t.co/aKHChTriUe
— chinahand (@chinahand) May 20, 2024
The world’s largest chipmaker could flip a kill switch and remotely disable its machines in the event of an invasion PC Gamer (Kevin W)
Janet Yellen urges EU to join US in curbs on cheap Chinese exports Guardian (Kevin W). Note we linked yesterday to at story on Ursuala von der Leyen resisting this US initiative. When you’ve lost von der Leyen…..
China takes measures against 12 U.S. military-linked firms Reuters
BMW and Jaguar used banned China parts – US probe BBC
Macron heads to riot-hit New Caledonia as Australia, NZ evacuate tourists Sydney Morning Herald (Kevin W)
European Disunion
Germany: Far-right AfD bans top EU candidate from campaigning DW
Gaza
Israel calls on ‘civilised nations’ to boycott ICC arrest warrants against its leaders Guardian (Kevin W). For Israel to position itself as civilized is an insult to intelligence.
Netanyahu’s response to the ICC invokes another genocidal biblical reference Mondoweiss (guurst)
Biden administration signals it will support push to sanction ICC Financial Times
France backs ICC after prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu Reuters
Erm re the tweet below, I don’t see how Sinwar can surrender to ICC detention, which is a logical component of accepting the role of UN legal authorities. You can guarantee Mossad or the CIA would kill him there. So the “legal” part is questionable, since the practical cost of Hamas arguing for its right to oppose occupiers is awfully high:
Extremely key fact. I’m surprised ppl don’t know this. Hamas’s entire diplomatic strategy is to be the legally + morally righteous party. They have always tried to stick to international law and norms. Ppl are turning a W into an L – so why are USA and Israel panicking so much? https://t.co/yFmOGLT7Nm
— R. Ashlar 🇵🇸🔻 (@AshlarRob) May 20, 2024
‘Four blind mice’: Biden, Blinken, McGurk & Sullivan Responsible Statecraft
Norway to recognise Palestinian state, Spain and Ireland expected to follow BBC
An educated guess: Neither Ireland nor Norway will miss Israel’s ambassadors very much. So you can keep them. https://t.co/jQhxG3yINU
— Politbüro 🇦🇹, Generalsekretariat #Favoriten 📯 (@StephanEwald) May 22, 2024
Gaza Protests
Homeland Security Doesn’t Want You to Know Who Its New University Intelligence Advisors Are Ken Klipperstein
New Not-So-Cold War
The hubris in Congress toward nuclear escalation is jaw-dropping. Bipartisan coalition demands Biden authorize Ukraine to strike inside Russia with US intel/weapons. Think of how psychotic this would’ve sounded two years ago. (Biden has eventually acceded to all these demands) pic.twitter.com/Il0bBxPGdl
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 22, 2024
A Kharkiv Encirclement As Dreamed Up By ‘Sources’ Moon of Alabama (Kevin W)
This is no time to stand idly by.
In effect, Russian forces launched three attacks on the area of military warehouses in the city of Shostka, Sumy region. There was also an attack on energy facilities in Konotop, one of the largest railway junctions in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/cv1ceLc3e5
— Benjamin Rubinstein (@BenFRubinstein) May 22, 2024
US military aid to Ukraine is ‘grift’ – Blackwater founder to Tucker Carlson RT
Zelensky ‘yelling at generals’ – The Economist RT. Alexander Mercouris also discussed Lavrov (!) describing Zelensky’s outburst. Oh, and he gave Conor’s post on press/official demonization in the Fico shooting and ours on falling real wages a shout out.
This means Russia cannot stop at least until Lvov or it effectively lost. Ukraine in NATO was the main reason for this war. Hope Ukrainians agreed to this. https://t.co/ep5JIe5Yl7
— Nik Stankovic (@nikstankovic_) May 22, 2024
U.S. Funds Ukraine Groups Censoring Critics, Smearing Pro-Peace Voices Lee Fang (Kevin W)
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
Many of the people were misled by federal agents into believing they were taking COVID-19 tests, a new study finds. https://t.co/ESMVvSnkgL
— Popular Science (@PopSci) May 22, 2024
JPMorgan, Mastercard Embrace Biometric Payment Options CNBC
Microsoft’s new AI-enabled laptops will have a ‘photographic memory’ of your virtual activity Fortune (Bill B)
Assange
Assange Wins Delay, but ‘Punishment by Process’ Continues American Conservative
Imperial Collapse Watch
Lockheed Martin Running Out of Space to Store F-35s Rejected By Pentagon Military Watch
Judge dismisses felony convictions of 5 retired military officers in US Navy bribery case Associated Press
Trump
Law professor Jonathan Turley holds nothing back in an absolutely brutal assessment of Judge Juan Merchan’s handling of the Trump trial:
“I believe there are layers of reversible error in this case.” pic.twitter.com/ThjC02buoB
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 21, 2024
More detail on the observations above: “Are You Staring Me Down?”: Judge Merchan Becomes an Oddity in his Own Courtroom Jonathan Turley
Additional classified records found in Trump’s bedroom after Mar-a-Lago search The Hill
Biden
U.S. Department of Energy to Release 1 Million Barrels of Gasoline from Reserves OilPrice (Kevin W). Putting this here because this is clearly a re-election gimmick. Biden already tapped the reserves to try to lower gas prices, which is not its proper use. The reserves are low and the DoE should be replenishing, not draining them.
2024
Biden and Democrats raised $51 million in April, far less than Trump and the GOP’s $76 million Associated Press
Supremes
The shadow war on the administrative state Politico
Supreme Court denies challenge to Mountain Valley pipeline E&E News
Fed officials seem like they have ‘no idea’ what is going on with U.S. inflation, strategist says CNBC
The Bezzle
Show HN: Pls Fix – Hire big tech employees to appeal account suspensions Hacker News. Paul R: “OMG. Baksheesh as a service.”
Guillotine Watch
Is hydrogen the eco future of superyachting? Financial Times
Class Warfare
Imagine if the government offered dental care. New federal rule could make that a reality. USA Today (ma)
Corporations are buying local vet clinics — raising questions about price, choice and quality of care CBC. Paul R: “Pirate equity is not mentioned, but a similar phenomenon in the US is.”
Antidote du jour (via:
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.