Why petting your cat leads to static electricity Phys.org
Earth had Saturn-like rings 466 million years ago, new study suggests Space.com
Burnt out? Your Zoom virtual backgrounds might be causing fatigue, says study Interesting Engineering
These Creatures Occupy ‘Third State’ Beyond Life And Death, Scientists Say Science Alert
Climate/Environment
It’s Getting Worse. The Sentinel-Intelligence
Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain JAMA Network Open
Desert Floods Unmask Hidden Climate Threats SciTech Daily
The US is finally curbing floodplain development, new research shows Grist
Water
Using GPT-4 to generate 100 words consumes up to 3 bottles of water — AI data centers also raise power and water bills for nearby residents Tom’s Hardware
Pandemics
Why virologists are getting increasingly nervous about bird flu MIT Technology Review
Health Authorities Warn Monkeypox Outbreak In Africa Is Not Under Control VOI
Haunting Questions About a Lethal American Virus MedPage Today
Africa
African Stream: Russia’s Latest Covert Influence Pipeline Targeting Africa and the U.S. Stanford Cyber Policy Center. Commentary:
Since our inception less than two years ago, we’ve attempted to reshape the narratives surrounding Africa and African people. In doing so, we seem to have upset some very powerful people. pic.twitter.com/BqeHB2RIGQ
— African Stream (@african_stream) September 19, 2024
The Koreas
US Military Policy Is Stoking the Risk of Nuclear War on Korean Peninsula Truthout
China?
US ‘forgot’ Typhoon missiles in Philippines, China warns of risk Bulgarian Military
US urged to abandon its missile system deployment plan in Japan, ‘will seriously heighten regional tensions’ Global Times
***
China’s Hinterland Becomes A Critical Datascape NOEMA
Old Blighty
Revealed: Far higher pesticide residues allowed on food since Brexit The Guardian
European Disunion
Berlin is sceptical of EU migration policy, but warms to Europe-wide Albania model Euractiv
Syraqistan
Israel intensifies air raids on southern Lebanon amid escalation fears Al Jazeera
Hezbollah leader says Israel’s pager, walkie-talkie attacks are a ‘declaration of war’, crossed all ‘red lines’ Firstpost
‘We cannot urge restraint to Hezbollah after Israeli terror attacks’: Beirut The Cradle
Gallant says Israel’s ‘course of action will continue’ after Nasrallah’s speech Ynet
Lebanese people talk about fears after pager and walkie-talkie explosions Al Jazeera
The making of Israel’s ‘modern day Trojan horse’ plot Middle East Monitor
Company Behind Walkie-Talkie Devices Transformed into Bombs Also Supplies the U.S. Military Lee Fang
***
Videos circulating on social media show Israeli soldiers throwing the bodies of three Palestinians, killed in the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya, off a rooftop on Thursday morning.
The footage shows three Israeli soldiers standing on the roof of a building, throwing the… pic.twitter.com/j2b8fMyDKt— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) September 19, 2024
White House admits ‘imminent’ Gaza ceasefire deal ‘may never happen’: Report The Cradle
New Not-So-Cold War
EU to raise €35 billion loan for Ukraine using Russia’s frozen assets, von der Leyen says Euronews
Power outages in Ukraine will last for 4 to 18 hours per day in winter – UN report Ukrainska Pravda
EU chief travels to Kyiv with promise of fresh energy funds to get Ukraine through winter AP. “The EU is trying to decentralize energy production through the use of solar panels and other new technologies in Ukraine to make it more difficult for Russian attacks to have a direct impact on the energy grid. It would also help Ukraine become a greener economy, [Ursula] said.”
Revealed: Russia anticipated Kursk incursion months in advance, seized papers show The Guardian
September mobilization newsletter Events in Ukraine. “270,000 lost or stolen weapons. 200 anti-military arson cases. 400,000 emigrants in 2024. $37 thousand to dodge the draft. Deaths and violence. Mobilization minivans and electronic warfare.”
Exclusive: Ammunition from India enters Ukraine, raising Russian ire Reuters
Russians mine dams around Belgorod in preparation for false flag operations Ukrainska Pravda. Translation: Ukraine is going to try to blow up the dams.
***
NATO-Russia dynamics: Prospects for reconstitution of Russian military power Atlantic Council
MEPs vote in support of Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, Taurus missiles delivery Kyiv Independent
Russia Warns Its Missiles Can Reach US Ally in Three Minutes Newsweek
UK wants US directly involved in UKRAINE CONFLICT The Duran
Estonia signals readiness to preemptively strike Russia to defend NATO UAWire
The Caucasus
Armenia breaks up alleged Russian-inspired coup attempt Eurasianet
Spook Country
Are You a Russian Agent? Take the Test John Varoli, A Vaccine Against the Pandemic of Lies
Biden Administration
How Biden’s NLRB has Boosted Bottom-Up Unionism (& Why this Matters) Labor Politics
2024
The Political Economy of Trad Dad Populism Law and Political Economy Project
STRANDED ASTRONAUTS SAY THEY’LL VOTE FROM SPACE Futurism
Kamala
Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller Join Oprah Winfrey in Live Event Uniting Zooms for Kamala Harris Groups The Hollywood Reporter
“We need some lawyers to host this Harris fundraiser.”
“OK, the Democratic Party is crawling with lawyers, pick anyone.”
“Great, I got Uber’s lawyer and the guy who represented Nestlé’s right to enslave children.”
“Now wait, that seems like a bad ide-” pic.twitter.com/5N2SfGkcoP— David Dayen (@ddayen) September 19, 2024
Lina Khan Doesn’t Need to Be Confirmed Again The American Prospect
Democrats en Déshabillé
Cuomo personally altered report that lowballed COVID nursing-home deaths, emails show – contradicting his claim to Congress New York Post
GOP Clown Car
‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum CNN
Imperial Collapse Watch
BRICS Develops a Multipolar Economic Architecture Glenn Diesen, Glenn’s Substack. See NC here, here, and here for ongoing challenges.
PATRICK LAWRENCE: Defending Humanity Consortium News
States’ Endless Pursuit of Gambling Revenue Is Bad for Everyone Boondoggle
Police State Watch
LA Sheriff bans deputy gangs 3 years after law required policy. Watchdog inspector calls it ‘bare minimum’ LAist
Groves of Academe
Charges filed against UC Irvine students and professors who took part in protests LAist
Our Famously Free Press
Interview on Unherd: On State Department Censorship and Blacklisting Matt Taibbi, Racket News
Declassify RT records so the public can vet administration’s claims Freedom of the Press Foundation
‘Genocide Can and Should Never Be Just a Normal Story’ FAIR
Healthcare?
For-Profit US Healthcare System—Once Again—Ranks Dead Last Among Its Peers Common Dreams
‘Too big to fail?’: A cautionary tale for health systems Becker’s Hospital Review
‘Failing Wisely’ Can Promote a Safer Healthcare System MedPage Today
Cigna sues FTC over ‘defamatory’ PBM report Becker’s Hospital Review
Therapy patients stop treatment after ‘pre-payment reviews’ swell Clear Health Costs
Digital Watch
Project Analyzing Human Language Usage Shuts Down Because ‘Generative AI Has Polluted the Data’ 404 Media
FTC Staff Report Finds Large Social Media and Video Streaming Companies Have Engaged in Vast Surveillance of Users with Lax Privacy Controls and Inadequate Safeguards for Kids and Teens Federal Trade Commission (press release)
Antitrust
Amazon’s New ‘Shark Tank’-Style Show Gives Winners Top Billing in Its Store Wall Street Journal
Dairy farmer profits sink as industry continues to consolidate Investigate Midwest
Class Warfare
Up to a Quarter of Rental Inflation Is Due to Price-Fixing BIG by Matt Stoller
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
