Colorado rattlesnake “mega den” gaining national attention via webcam for citizen science The Colorado Sun
Near-extinct crocodiles make comeback in Cambodia BBC
Wall Street Senses the Barbarians Are Finally at the Gates Bloomberg. Commentary:
Has private equity become a Ponzi scheme? Unherd
Boston 25 is shrinking. You won’t be surprised to learn that private equity is to blame. Dan Kennedy
Climate
With CO2 Levels Rising, World’s Drylands Are Turning Green YaleEnvironment360
Global Economic Governance: What’s “Growth” Got to Do with It? Ann Pettifor, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
World’s largest uncontacted indigenous tribe spotted evading loggers in Peruvian Amazon Anadolu Agency
Water
Alarming study suggests drought side effect is killing off key underground species: ‘We know so little about them’ The Cooldown
Syndemics
Bird flu could become a human pandemic. How are countries preparing? Nature
An H5N1 pandemic is inevitable — here’s why. Canada Healthwatch
U.S. bird flu response builds on lessons learned from COVID (interview) Mandy Cohen, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Cohen: “We have not seen a human-to-human transmission of this virus.” But see 2005; 2006.
GISAID: The Plot Thickens Avian Flu Diary
China?
China halts nuclear arms talks with US over Taiwan support Al Jazeera
WTO says China is backsliding on key reforms and lacks transparency on subsidies South China Morning Post. Commentary:
6/6
downward pressure on global growth, rather than the upward pressure that arises from balanced trade according to real comparative advantage. That is why the WTO should focus on eliminating persistent trade imbalances.— Michael Pettis (@michaelxpettis) July 18, 2024
‘New model for human civilisation’: What is so unique about China’s style of modernisation? Channel News Asia
Inside China’s Psychoboom JSTOR Daily
Bangladesh shuts universities, colleges indefinitely after protests turn deadly Channel News Asia
The Koreas
Korean Nuclear Stocks Soar on Multibillion Dollar Czech Deal Bloomberg
Syraqistan
Israel’s military will begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday. It could rattle the government AP
Why does Israel step up its attacks when Gaza ceasefire talks advance? Al Jazeera
Pro-Israel lobby smells blood in coordinated lawfare against media critics Pearls and Irritation
Dear Old Blighty
The King’s Speech: a half-baked hotchpotch that delivers something considerably less than a vision Funding the Future
The Muslim Vote Craig Murray
Same Blade New Left Review
New Not-So-Cold War
Germany plans to halve military aid for Ukraine BBC
TurkStream instead of LNG: Gazprom floods Southeast Europe with pipeline gas (Google translation) Berliner Zeitung
Donald Trump will demand Russia-Ukraine peace talks if re-elected, claims Viktor Orbán FT
Trump on easing restrictions against Russia: We’re forcing everyone away from us Ukrainska Pravda
J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Up NYT
Why JD Vance will be good for Europe Unherd
Ukraine clears law on suspending debt payments, resumes formal bondholder talks Reuters
Total of 144 combat clashes occur on battlefield in Ukraine during day, with hottest situation on Toretsk front Ukrainska Pravda
Russia’s retreat from Crimea makes a mockery of the West’s escalation fears The Atlantic Council
Dysfunction Sidelines Ukraine’s Parliament as Governing Force NYT
Russia Is Using Lawsuits to Fight the West’s Sanctions Foreign Policy
The President and part of the opposition in Georgia will challenge the “foreign agents” law in the Constitutional Court JAM News
Reimagining Russia The National Interest
2024
Biden says he would drop out of race if diagnosed with ‘medical condition’ as pressure from Democrats grows Independent. Commentary:
The unspoken issue with all these positive WH tests?
Since “pandemic is over”and no one is being tested anymore unless highly symptomatic… it suggests POTUS is severely symptomatic (or he’s being treated differently than general public- which is also important to know). https://t.co/x8nYrTYkPY
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) July 17, 2024
And:
One of the most prevalent problems during covid infections throughout all of the waves has been dizziness, loss of balance, muscle weakness, and the falls that those all cause, especially among the elderly.
— tern (@1goodtern) July 17, 2024
Hubris; nemesis.
The Donald Trump Interview Transcript Bloomberg
RNC 2024 Day 3 updates: JD Vance touts working class roots in debut as VP nominee ABC
Mass deportation line Politico
Trump Seizes on Crypto as ‘Wedge Issue’ as Donors Cheer Him On Bloomberg
Bitcoin hits 1-month high of $66,000 amid hopes of Trump’s pro-crypto stance Anadolu Agency
SPAC = Special Purpose Acquisition Company:
In any normal country, in say the 2004 or 1996 election cycles, this would be a HUGE story and a HUGE scandal for the GOP presidential candidate.
But it’s 2024 and it’s Trump so nothing matters. https://t.co/mwE4KZUuCR
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 18, 2024
A Blind Spot and a Lost Trail: How the Gunman Got So Close to Trump NYT. Commentary:
An extraordinary scene played out at the convention tonight, with US Senators confronting the head of the Secret Service who is here in Milwaukee. More details coming for NYT. https://t.co/LERmj2SaLb
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 18, 2024
FWIW:
This is wild!
The day before the assassination
attempt (Friday, July 12th), What appears to be a private equity fund, placed a very large bet using Put Options, on Donald Trump’s media and technology company (DJT), which would have gained excessive value had the price of the… https://t.co/Odk8Jsm83t— Ezekiel_38_News (@Ezekiel38News) July 18, 2024
The changes in vibes — why did they happen? Marginal Revolution
Supply Chain
Maersk says Red Sea shipping disruption having global effects Hellenic Shipping News
Healthcare
US Health Care Now Unaffordable for Nearly Half of Americans Newsweek
Nasal Sprays Reduce Sick Days From Respiratory Illnesses in High-Risk Patients MedPage Today
Zeitgeist Watch
“It’s All Just F*cking Impossible:” The Influence of Taylor Swift on Fans’ Body Image, Disordered Eating, and Rejection of Diet Culture Social Science and Medicine
Crowdfunding Regulation (PDF) SSRN. From the Discussion: “Crowdfunding, a groundbreaking financial mechanism, has gained substantial traction in recent years as a means of raising capital for various ventures, projects, and enterprises from a diverse group of individuals or entities. The rapid evolution and widespread adoption of crowdfunding have raised critical regulatory considerations to ensure investor protection, market integrity, and the overall stability of the financial ecosystem.”
School Vouchers Were Supposed to Save Taxpayer Money. Instead They Blew a Massive Hole in Arizona’s Budget. ProPublica
Class Warfare
Amazon Prime Day ‘major cause of injuries’ for workers, Senate finds CNN
You Can Never Have Too Much Money, Happiness Researcher Finds Bloomberg
What Happened to Ancient Megafauna? Nautilus
Antidote du jour (Brian Dell):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
