How to Remove a Tick Field & Stream
Google accused of ripping off advertisers with video ads no one saw. Now, the expert view The Register
U.S. Economy Shows Surprising Vigor in First Half of 2023 WSJ
Climate
Wildfire smoke may have contributed to thousands of extra COVID-19 cases and deaths in western U.S. in 2020 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Real-Time Air Quality Map PurpleAir (Bsn). A lot of red:
Fire and Smoke Map AirNow (Screwball). More red:
World’s Largest Gas Station Is a New Buc-ee’s With 120 Pumps The Drive. Sounds like T.R. Schmidt’s McHooligan’s.
Water
Sriracha prices soar amid ongoing supply shortage linked to droughts The Hill
#COVID19
Wastewater sampling in Canada suggests COVID case rate 19 times higher than reported Center for Disease Research and Policy
Top NIH Official Advised Covid Scientists That He Uses Personal Email to Evade FOIA The Intercept
Uruguay to close schools as paediatric care nears ‘collapse’ Nate Bear. Why? ‘Tis a mystery!
We Just Learned Something Important about Bird Flu Jessica Wildfire
China?
Xi’s Plan for China’s Economy Is Doomed to Fail Foreign Affairs. Commentary:
China Beige Book says credit easing isn’t expanding demand. If the problem for businesses was scarce credit, easing credit would be the right way to boost business investment. But if credit is ample and demand is weak, easing credit can’t help.https://t.co/Vfq3042G93
— Michael Pettis (@michaelxpettis) June 30, 2023
Weak China manufacturing data adds to pressure on economy FT
China’s foreign ministry, customs, central bank among top agencies in audit net over 1 billion yuan ‘misconduct’ South China Morning Post
Myanmar
The Mirage of the ‘United Front’ in Myanmar The Irrawaddy. Important.
Myanmar and Russia push ahead with nuclear energy cooperation World Nuclear News (tevhatch).
Commentary: Can China help bring peace to Myanmar? Channel News Asia
The Koreas
South Korea’s Per Capita GNI Plummets, Falls Behind Taiwan’s. Blue Roof
South Koreans become younger overnight after country scraps ‘Korean age‘ CNN
India
In a first, India gifts active warship to Vietnam Channel News Asia
European Disunion
Protests rock France after police shooting of teenager CNN. Handy maps:
France descends into anarchy as violence explodes across country while Emmanuel Macron parties with Elton John GBN
Protests erupt in Belgium over killing of teen delivery driver in France by police Anadolu Agency
Migration mutiny: EU summit deadlocks Politico
New Not-So-Cold War
Ukraine aims to wear down and outsmart a Russian army distracted by infighting AP. The new theory, I suppose, now that “the Russians will panic” is all used up.
Anatomy of Storm Shadow Interception Simplicius the Thinker(s)
IAEA saw no evidence Moscow planning attack on Zaporizhia nuclear plant, but ‘anything can happen’ France24
Russian forces begin to flee Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – Ukrainian Defence Intelligence Ukrainska Pravda
Prigozhin’s Folly Seymour Hersh
Understanding the Wagner Private Military Company Larry Johnson, A Son of the New American Revolution
The Supremes
Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action programs in college admissions SCOTUSblog. Commentary:
In Opinion
“The remaining legal way to make diverse campuses is to do it by class,” David Brooks writes. “And it just seems to me that this moment when the Supreme Court has shaken up the admissions process, this is the time to do it.” https://t.co/r7jfVyoB7X
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 29, 2023
Anathema to liberal Democrats, of course. Not that it would ever happen.
Supreme Court Decision (press release) Harvard. “The Court also ruled that colleges and universities may consider in admissions decisions “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” We will certainly comply with the Court’s decision.”
The Mysterious Case of the Fake Gay Marriage Website, the Real Straight Man, and the Supreme Court The New Republic. 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis.
One Year on From Dobbs: The Dangers of Radicalizing Minority Rule Thomas Zimmer, Democracy Americana
AI? Brain manipulation? WHO’s new chief scientist aims to anticipate global challenges Science
Digital Watch
Congress pushes aggressive use of AI in the federal government, says AI ‘under-utilized’ in agencies FOX. Maybe there could be a “Red Team v. Blue Team” concept, where an AI and a government agency (say, the CDC) compete to see who can emit the most bullshit, fastest.
People Hire Phone Bots to Torture Telemarketers WSJ
Reddit is running out of patience with protesting moderators Quartz
Sports Desk
Yankees’ Domingo Germán Throws 1st Perfect Game Since Félix Hernández in 2012 vs. A’s Bleacher Report
Lessons in Freedom: Agroecology, Localization and Food Sovereignty Internationalist 360º
Healthcare
How Often Do Health Insurers Say No to Patients? No One Knows. ProPublica
Imperial Collapse Watch
The Military Recruiting Crisis: Even Veterans Don’t Want Their Children to Join WSJ
Class Warfare
Billionaires want to save the world. What’s so wrong with that? FT
Has Anyone Seen Pierre Omidyar? (excerpt) Puck. Omidyar’s blog post: “Collaboration can take many forms. For some [The Omidyar Group (TOG)] teams this will mean partnering with new funders to support mission critical work.”
Worldwide survey kills the myth of ‘Man the Hunter’ Science
Gay Mass Consumption Before Stonewall JSTOR Daily. Physique magazines.
Body and Soul New Left Review
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
