Yves here. A lot of catch up here. An awfully busy run-up to the holiday season.
Songs of beauty amid war Christian Science Monitor
Winners of the 2023 International Landscape Photographer of the Year Atlantic (David L)
The Church, Living in Christmas Past Maureen Dowd, New York Times (furzy)
Barbie: 5 ways to be more like Allan than Ken The Conversation (Dr. Kevin). Kill me now.
Lagrange Points Could Become Battlegrounds in a New Space Race ScienceAlert (Chuck L)
Why the universe might be a hologram Universe Today
Discovering Abandoned Cruise Ships and Ocean Liners CruiseHive (Kevin W)
Tech Billionaires Need to Stop Trying to Make the Science Fiction They Grew Up on Real Scientific American (Kevin W)
Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake. Washington Post (Dr. Kevin)
Sickle cell patient’s journey leads to landmark approval of gene-editing treatment MPR News (Chuck L)
Could taking cod liver oil every day actually make me a happier person? Salon
#COVID-19
Digital measurement of SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk from 7 million contacts Nature (Dr. Kevin)
Had ChatGPT rewrite this in common language.
This study used miniature heart tissues grown from human stem cells to investigate how the heart is affected by COVID-19. They found that mild infections can linger in the heart without immediately causing major problems, lasting… https://t.co/ANUWlP2yE8
— David it up! (@Dave_it_up) December 24, 2023
Climate/Environment
Beijing shivers through coldest December on record BBC
The link between climate change and a spate of rare disease outbreaks in 2023 Grist
Unusual boxes and 7,000-year-old trove found locked in ice Big Think (David L)
Researchers develop ‘electronic soil’ that enhances crop growth PhysOrg (Chuck L)
China?
This is hands down the best talk I’ve heard in a long time on Taiwan, the underlying dynamics at play and what could be a solution. If you want to understand the issue, this is an absolute must-watch.
It is by George Yeo, who is undoubtedly one of the outsiders who best… pic.twitter.com/CNQE6VBBDs
— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) December 23, 2023
Think China has a demographic problem? Check out Taiwan Asia Times
China’s Local Gov’t Debt in 2020 was 50% Higher Than WB, IMF Estimates Michael Shedlock
China-Australia quietly reset troubled ties Asia Times (Kevin W)
Gaza
‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 80: Israel kills at least 100 Palestinians in Christmas Eve attacks Mondoweiss
Another Christmas massacre.#GazaHolocaust #GazaGenocide pic.twitter.com/PqGSGHPXkR
— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) December 25, 2023
Israel-Gaza war: Netanyahu vows to intensify campaign BBC
Israel has justified its exterminationist rampage in Gaza as a fight for its own existence. Along with the industrial level slaughter of children, the establishment of concentration camps is therefore deemed necessary for the maintenance of an ethnosupremacist “Jewish state.” https://t.co/ErylooOlqY
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) December 26, 2023
In unprecedented slaughter of Gaza civilians, US claims Israel is the “victim” Aaron Mate
* * *
Benjamin Netanyahu: Our Three Prerequisites for Peace Wall Street Journal (David L). Non-paywalled version here.
Netanyahu Outsmarted by ‘Wily’ Biden? No, Biden Is the One Being Played Alastair Crooke (Chuck L)
* * *
Flooding Hamas tunnels with seawater risks ‘ruining basic life in Gaza’, says expert Guardian (Dr. Kevin). This would be a feature, not a bug.
Israel is moving towards a total naval blockade from all sides
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said:
“They will soon face the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and other waterways”
The port of Eliat, which lies on the Red Sea, is already… pic.twitter.com/P4XERIKQgX
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) December 23, 2023
Qatar, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Israel Thierry Meyssan (Chuck L)
Iran rejects US claims on Tehran targeting tanker off India Arab News
Revealed: how US residents are funding illegal settlements in the West Bank Guardian (Dr. Kevin)
New Not-So-Cold War
Breaking Down Thinktank-land’s Latest: Estonian MoD & ISW Analysis Simplicius the Thinker (PDB). Important.
Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov makes news Gilbert Doctorow (guurst). Underlying interview worth a read.
Russia Lambasts ‘Unacceptable’ US Claims to Arctic Shelf Sputnik (Kevin W)
Ukraine announces smartphone conscription notices RT (Kevin W)
Reporters Without Borders ignores the deaths of Russian journalists Anti-Spiegel (Micael)
Syraqistan
Israeli airstrike kills senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards general in Syria Sydney Morning Herald (Kevin W)
Imperial Collapse Watch
Is The United States A Supernova? Andrei Martyanov
Simulated naval battle, which shows the vulnerability of US aircraft carriers and other ships to swarm attacks of [Iranian] drones and missiles. pic.twitter.com/xvOcvEs5yZ
— tim anderson (@timand2037) December 23, 2023
What a third world war would mean for investors Economist (Dr. Kevin)
THE STANDARD OF CIVILIZATION New Left Review (Anthony L)
Post-apocalyptic life in American health care Meta-rationality (Paul R)
Our No Longer Free Press
Tucker Carlson Visits Julian Assange Rumble (flora)
Gonzalo Lira. US Red Sea operation crumbles. UK MSM: Ukraine can win, if Russians remove The Putin Alex Christoforu, See update on Gonzalo at the top.
Can ticket-splitting governor races survive a Trump-Biden rematch in 2024? Politico
Police State Watch
Elijah McClain death: Paramedics who injected Colorado Black man with ketamine found guilty CBS (Kevin W)
Antitrust
Google Rejected Play Store Fee Changes Due To Impact on Revenue, Epic Lawsuit Shows Bloomberg
AI
Will AI Be a Disaster for the Climate? Guardian
The City That’s Trying to Replace Politicians With Computers (It’s Working) Wall Street Journal (David L). By some definition of “working”. Note the rebranding of “elected officials” to “politicians”.
Apple’s reportedly reaches out to major publishers to train its AI for ‘at least $50 million’ each — including Condé Nast, NBC News and more Tom’s Guide (Paul R)
Meet ‘Coscientist,’ your AI lab partner National Science Foundation (David L)
Allen & Overy rolls out AI contract negotiation tool in challenge to legal industry Financial Times (David L)
The Hollywood Strikes Stopped AI From Taking Your Job. But for How Long? Wired (Kevin W)
Economists had a dreadful 2023 Economist (David L)
The Bezzle
‘A fiction’: the fall of a fintech star accused of ‘massive fraud’ Financial Times (BC)
Sam Altman’s Knack for Dodging Bullets—With a Little Help From Bigshot Friends Wall Street Journal (Paul R)
“Unfortunately, a recent software update was not successful. Your vehicle cannot be driven. Please call customer support:” pic.twitter.com/WE059pkfdK
— Dan Luu (@danluu) December 25, 2023
Class Warfare
Gen Xers should be thriving. Instead, they’re drowning in debt. Business Insider
Antidote du jour. Tracie H:
“Got sugar cubes?”
Since I had some time to kill before work, and this training center was on my way, I stopped to photograph an equestrian class as they trotted around the ring and made some jumps, when this horse seemed to take an interest in me.
And a bonus from guurst:
The spotted eagle ray can be identified by its dark dorsal surface covered in white spots or rings. Near the base of its tail, just behind the pelvic fins, are several venomous, barbed stingers
[📹 maniurashydh]pic.twitter.com/NfnAoQAJKZ
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 26, 2023
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.