Geomagnetic storm from a solar flare could disrupt radio communications and create a striking aurora AP
How to stay safe during the April 8 solar eclipse Space.com. How to stay safe? If you travel, try to find a motel where the doors open directly to the outside so you don’t have to share air in hallways, the lobby, or elevators. And so what if there’s no mint on the pillow?
Is private equity’s bet on life insurance turning sour? FT
Climate
The world is warming faster than scientists expected FT. In the next quarter?
Bats are in trouble. That’s not good for anyone who likes mezcal, rice or avocado Guardian
Do the Health Benefits of Boiling Drinking Water Outweigh the Negative Impacts of Increased Indoor Air Pollution Exposure? (preprint) medRxiv. From the Abstract: “Boiling water generally resulted in net decreases in [disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)].” Second time in as many days that I’ve encountered this DALY acronym.
The Ocean Vents Where Life on Earth Likely Began JSTOR Daily
#COVID19
The Attack on Long Covid Anthony Leonardi, Easy Chair
“This Would Translate to About 10,000 Deaths” Reflections From the Start of the Pandemic Science-Based Medicine. Ioannidis still making bank, just like Bhattacharya, Killdorff, Jha, and all the rest of ’em.
How Covid Changed Nursing The Baffler
There’s a New Fungus in Town and It Won’t Be the Last MedPage Today
China?
‘Structural’ problem: top China scholar says US tensions will be ‘with us for a long time’ South China Morning Post
China must reinvent itself to turn economy around, says IMF’s Georgieva Business Standard
China’s Personal Income Tax Haul Slumps 15.9% in First Two Months Yi Cai
The Koreas
South Korea Starts Ship-Launched Ballistic Missile Development Naval News
Japan
US and Japan plan biggest upgrade to security pact in over 60 years FT
Ill at the Plague Festival Orion. Shinto.
India
India’s coal & lignite production at ‘historical’ one billion tonnes The Hindu
Africa
What African architecture can teach the world BBC
Syraqistan
Israeli war to end with Jews settling northern Gaza: Knesset member Anadolu Agency
Chris Hedges: Israel’s Trojan Horse Consortium News. The pier.
Israeli attack on Rafah will be ‘huge mistake,’ says US vice president Anadolu Agency
The Enduring Power of Purim The Tablet. Cf. Esther 1:22.
New Not-So-Cold War
Former CIA agent: Putin putting blame on Ukraine for Moscow attack is ‘nonsense’ The Hill.
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 23, 2024 Institute for the Study of War. “ISW assesses that the Islamic State (IS) is very likely responsible for the Crocus City Hall attack.”
How Ukraine war distracted Moscow from Isis-K threat FT. Look! Over there!
Putin seeks to tie concert hall attack to Ukraine despite ISIS claim Axios
3 suspects in Moscow concert hall attack plead guilty in court India Today
What we know after the Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow massacre AP
Concert hall attack dents Putin’s tough image. He tries to use it to rally support for Ukraine war AP
‘Massive’ Russian air attack hits Western Ukraine, Kyiv; Poland says its airspace violated France24
DTEK has lost 50% of generating capacity, repairs will take months – Yasno CEO Ukrainska Pravda
Thermal power plant and all transformer substations in Kharkiv destroyed Ukrainska Pravda
Russians damage ground infrastructure of gas storage of Ukrainian oil and gas company Ukrainska Pravda
The War Biosphere: A Lecture by Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah Internationalist 360°
The ‘Rules-Based Order’ Is Already Over The American Conservative
Global Election Year
Is Democracy Under Attack In India? Madras Courier
South of the Border
Rio Police Chief Arrested for Killing Marielle Franco Payday Report
Biden Adminsitration
Scoop: Biden’s border nuclear option is still on the table Axios
Spook Country
Supreme Court Justices Question Standing, Evidence in Murthy v. Missouri Tech Policy Press
Digital Watch
Monitoring AI-Modified Content at Scale: A Case Study on the Impact of ChatGPT on AI Conference Peer Reviews (preprint) aRxiv. AI crapification proceeds like grass through a goose:
Some useful heuristics there…
A modest proposal: No smartphones for kids Axios
A Big Defeat for Big Tech Joseph Stiglitz, Project Syndicate
Antitrust
U.S. Sues Apple Over iPhone Monopoly Michael Tsai. A good round-up.
Monopoly Round-Up: How FTC Chair Lina Khan Cut Inhaler Costs to $35 Matt Stoller, BIG
Zeitgeist Watch
World Happiness Report 2024 Gallup. The “1980” factoid is interesting:
Why the **** does everyone swear all the ******* time? Vox
Healthcare
Exclusive: More Than 70% of Americans Feel Failed by the Health Care System Guardian. Thanks, Obama:
Guys, come on. It’s not funny anymore.
Supply Chain
The Brutality of Sugar: Debt, Child Marriage and Hysterectomies NYT (Furzy Mouse).
DHL says globalization expands despite geopolitical and policy headwinds DC Velocity
Boeing
Boeing union wants board seat to ‘save company from itself’ – report Seeking Alpha
Why Is Boeing Such a Crappy Company? Robert Reich, LA Progressive
Black Injustice Tipping Point
Addicted to Losing The Anarchist Library
Class Warfare
Long Beach Post staffers laid off after moving to unionize and going on strike LA Times
Can States Use Economic Incentives to Discourage Card Check Agreements? On Labor
Nobel laureate economist savages his own profession as clueless and unethical Crikey (Turtle).
Law and Historical Materialism (PDF) Duke Law Journal
I’m 60 – and want to live to 100. Will my years of drinking and inactivity be a problem? Guardian. Not if there’s any justice in the world!
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
