Dear patient readers,
We’ve noticed a drop-off in comments during our unheard-of-ly weird spell of moderation issues. Please comment as normal. Be assured that we have thrown extra capacity at the problem (i.e., Yves and myself) in addition to our moderation team, and that although your comment may not immediately appear, it will not languish. –lambert
What Colors Can Deer See? Field & Stream
Rare Irish orchid discovered in Trinity College after lawn mowing is halted The Irish Times
De-dollarisation would upend the global economy Council on Geostrategy. RAND Europe.
Climate
Recent events indicate Earth’s climate has entered uncharted territory Associated Press
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon region drops nearly 34% in Lula’s first 6 months Anadolu Agency
Risks of synchronized low yields are underestimated in climate and crop model projections Nature. “Simultaneous harvest failures across major crop-producing regions are a threat to global food security.”
#COVID19
Viral persistence in children infected with SARS-CoV-2: current evidence and future research strategies The Lancet. From the Conclusion: “Evidence exists for the possible spread of SARS-CoV-2 spread into different organs and persistence for weeks to months after initial infection, even in children independently from severity of the acute disease. Viral RNA has been documented in children who have died from critical acute disease, but also in paediatric patients diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome weeks to months after previous asymptomatic or mild infection with SARS-CoV-2. Whether these events can also occur with new variants of SARS-CoV-2 or in previously vaccinated children is still unknown. Although the biological significance of the possibility for viral spread and persistence in children is unknown, the substantial evidence for it should not be neglected, and should inform future clinical, biological, and pharmacological studies.”
Impact of imprinted immunity induced by mRNA vaccination in an experimental animal model Journal of Infectious Diseases. From the Abstract: “The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants has led to concerns that ancestral SARS-CoV-2-based vaccines may not be effective against newly emerging Omicron subvariants. The concept of “imprinted immunity” suggests that individuals vaccinated with ancestral virus-based vaccines may not develop effective immunity against newly emerging Omicron subvariants, such as BQ.1.1 and XBB.1. Here, we investigated this possibility using hamsters. While natural infection induced effective antiviral immunity, breakthrough infections in hamsters with BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 Omicron subvariants after receiving the 3-dose mRNA-LNP vaccine resulted in only faintly induced humoral immunity, supporting the possibility of imprinted immunity.” Vax and relax my Sweet Aunt Fanny.
Where do viruses hide in the human body? BMJ. From the Abstract: “Virus particles often hide in ‘immunoprivileged sites’ around the human body, also sometimes called sanctuary sites, that our immune systems don’t monitor or protect as closely as the rest of our bodies. These include the brain, spinal cord, pregnant uterus, testes, and eyes…. Viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 primarily infect the respiratory tract but can move elsewhere. Influenza viruses can persist after infection in people’s intestinal tract and stool, through swallowed secretions from the nose and throat or viruses in the blood.”
Researchers create test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in any animal species Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
Losing grandparents to COVID may be increasing youth violence FOX
Should We Just Listen to the Scientists? JSTOR Daily
Another deadly pandemic seems inevitable – but there is a way to avoid it John Vidal, Guardian
China?
Peak China, a declining USA and the future of Africa SIPRI. Relevant:
Janet Yellen says security should not derail US-China economic relations FT
More Shenzhen Office Space Goes Begging for Tenants Caixin Global
Taiwan disputes China’s claim of ability to sink US Navy aircraft carrier group FT
Swift and extensive Omicron outbreak in China after sudden exit from ‘zero-COVID’ policy Nature. Model. “We modeled the epidemic dynamics of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in China from Nov. to Dec. 2022, during a period when China moved from having strict COVID-19 policies (‘zero-COVID’), to little-to-no intervention efforts. We found that after full exit from zero-COVID, the Omicron variant spread at a very high rate of 0.42/day, with a doubling time of 1.6 days, during early and mid-Dec. before the incidence peaked around Dec. 23. Our point estimate is that 97% of the population (1.4 billion people) was infected during December, with a lower 95% credibility interval of 95% of the population (1.33 billion) and a lower limit in the sensitivity analyses of 90% (1.26 billion). With an infection fatality ratio between 0.1 and 0.2% for the Omicron variant19, we would expect between 1.3 and 2.6 million COVID-19 deaths in China during Dec. 2022 as well as Jan. 2023 (because of the delay from infection to death).” Of course, the United States has a smaller population, so Biden killed more people proportionately, but still Xi did pretty well!
Myanmar
Pro-military militia members and police die under PDF attack in western Bago Region Myanmar Now
Myanmar Govt in Exile Asks Refugees in India to Stay Away From Political, Ethnic Conflicts The Wire
India
America’s India Problem The Diplomat
Working Lives: Documenting Labour Histories QAMRA
The Koreas
South Korea greenlights Japan’s nuclear waste release Anadolu Agency
Syraqistan
Oil on troubled waters: Where are the MENA’s key energy disputes? The New Arab (Rev Kev).
The Happy Country
Australia becomes first country to legalise medical psychedelics Sky News
Dear Old Blighty
Poor accounting by the ONS should not stop the necessary nationalisation of water companies Funding the Future
Mhairi Black to stand down as an MP at general election Holyrood
European Disunion
‘Nothing has changed’: France’s forgotten banlieues The New Arab
French riots show how entrenched inequalities have become FT
French parliament gives green light to secretly record footage from phones of suspects Anadolu Agency
German Defense Companies Could Be Europe’s Arsenal of Democracy Foreign Policy
South of the Border
Zelenskiy Won’t Be At CELAC in Brussels. Invitation Blocked By Unnamed Latin-American Leaders Claims Zelenskiy. St. Kitts & Nevis Observer
Legend claims there’s entrance to Underworld in Mexico — and experts think they found it Miami Herald
New Not-So-Cold War
Ukraine slows counteroffensive to ‘gradually wear down’ Russian troops, liberate towns NY Post. The smaller power waging a war of attrition against the larger power makes no sense.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine needs weapons on time for success in counteroffensive Ukrainska Pravda
SITREP 7/6/23: Zelensky Builds One Last Suicidal Thrust to Appease Masters Simplicius the Thinker(s). Grab a cup of coffee.
Belarus says Wagner’s Prigozhin is in Russia, raising questions about Putin deal France24
The failed coup in Russia through American looking glass Indian Punchline
Exclusive: The CIA’s Blind Spot about the Ukraine War William Arkin, Newsweek
Why no one can end the Ukraine war Edward Luttwalk, Unherd
Now is not the time for Ukraine to join Nato Katrina vanden Heuvel and James W Carden, Guardian. When you’ve lost Katrina vanden Heuvel….
Dropping a Big Rock Down a Massive 600 Foot Deep Pit Laughing Squid
Biden Administration
Government appeals ruling that restricts feds from contacting social media firms Politico. “But other legal experts said his ruling did not give adequate weight to the rights of Biden and others to cajole the companies to limit their publication of content that the officials considered objectionable.” When Psaki, speaking from a White House podium, tells Facebook to knuckle under to censorship or face anti-trust, that’s “cajoling”? Really?
Memordandum In Support Of Defendants’ Motion To Stay Preliminary Injunction Pending Appeal And, Alternatively, For Administrative Stay (PDF) STATE OF LOUISIANA, et al., Plaintiffs, v. JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., in his official capacity as President of the United States of America, et al. Note the ginormous typo; this must have been hastily prepared.
Mysterious White Powder Found In West Wing Identified As President Biden The Onion
2024
‘No doubt’ US will go to war with Russia if Ukraine falls, Pence says; Prigozhin back in Russia?: Live updates USA Today. Pence differentiates himself from Trump.
Digital Watch
AI Boom Stems Tech’s Downturn WSJ. How convenient.
Threads Daring Fireball. A factor to be considered in the “reporting” is that liberal Democrats are hegemonic in the press, and since their Censorship Industrial Complex has lost control of Twitter, they wish it to fail, and by extension Threads to succeed. Of course, the press is never the story….
The Bezzle
How Amazon transformed the EU into a planned economy Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic. Excellent.
Groves of Academe
North Dakota university leaders fear ‘catastrophic implications’ of Minnesota’s new free tuition plan AP
Class Warfare
DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub Sue New York City Over Minimum-Wage Law WSJ
Artificial cells demonstrate that “life finds a way” Scienmag (Chuck L). Original.
Antidote du jour (via):
And a bonus (Chuck L):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
