Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war — both real fog and stage fog — in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.
And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.
–Yves
P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:
Please do not write us to ask why a comment has not appeared. We do not have the bandwidth to investigate and reply. Using the comments section to complain about moderation decisions/tripwires earns that commenter troll points. Please don’t do it. Those comments will also be removed if we encounter them.
The mystery of how dinosaurs had sex BBC
Research into oldest known burial field in the Netherlands sheds new light on traditional gender roles Phys.org (ctleee).
Fourth of July Pregame Festivities
Celebrating the day Bobby Lee’s Slave Power army got whipped by better generalship and better troops. A thread:
It’s Gettysburg-Eve – so you know what that means: if you don’t care for Civil War history, if you’re a proponent that Vicksburg was strategically more important than Gettysburg (you’re right), or if you are a normal human, you should probably mute me until July 4
— Angry Staff Officer (@pptsapper) June 30, 2022
And under-celebrated: Grant taking Vicksburg on the same day.
Fourth of July checklist (1):
All the burns –
– on the bottoms of kids’ bare feet from stepping on discarded still hot BBQ charcoal briquets
– on hands and in eyes from wayward sparks from home fireworks & sparklers
– painfully blistered sunburns from forgetting to reapply sunscreen— Dr. Christina Johns (@DrCJohns) June 30, 2022
Fourth of July checklist (2): Coronavirus FAQ: Can I get COVID outdoors? (With printable poster on how to cut risks) NPR
Use and possession of fireworks are illegal on all land managed by the National Park Service National Park Service and Two firefighters were injured while suppressing one of the 10 fires started by Mount Rushmore fireworks in 2000 Wildfire Today. Prophylactics for conservative symbol manipulation — yes, they do it too — on fireworks at Mount Rushmore.
Climate
UN Warns of ‘Total Societal Collapse’ Due to Breaching of Planetary Boundaries Defend Democracy Press. Original.
Back to The Future? Cargo Giant Cargill Turns to Sails to Cut carbon Marine Link
A huge mass of used wet wipes has formed an ‘island’ that has changed the course of England’s second longest river, MP says Business Insider (KS).
Government exploiting fire fears to back old growth logging, say conservationists Columbia Insight
#COVID19
Where’s the herd immunity? Our research shows why Covid is still wreaking havoc Guardian. Original. “Rather than a wall of immunity arising from vaccinations and previous infections, we are seeing wave after wave of new cases and a rapidly growing burden of long-term disease.” Joe, Tony, Rochelle, good job.
Covid vaccines: how can immune imprinting help experts to rethink jabs? FT
IM Doc is not alone. A thread well worth reading:
Let’s be real. Whether you invoke the “with” vs “for” #Covid19 debate is besides the point. Hospital ERs weren’t closing with this kind of regularity pre-pandemic. The burden of care has changed. Denying it will make things far worse. 1/ https://t.co/xnnMleAvIX
— Abdu Sharkawy (@SharkawyMD) July 3, 2022
This, too:
Remember monoclonal antibodies? Yeah, it seems like only yesterday they were incredibly effective life-savers. Omicron changed all of that. Sotrovimab? Regeneron? They’re expensive placebos now. Useless. It didn’t happen by accident. 9/
— Abdu Sharkawy (@SharkawyMD) July 3, 2022
“Big sigh.” Indeed.
COVID-19 impact to life insurance and annuity companies Deloitte
China?
Xi Jinping’s meet-and-greet with Hong Kong’s elite set tongues wagging on pecking order of political big guns and second-generation tycoons South China Morning Post
In the United States, a monthly income of $3,000 is enough for a family of three. No wonder Chinese people want to go abroad. What China Reads. Hmm.
India
As Silicon Valley fantasizes about Web3, India leaps ahead on payments Fortune
Syraqistan
Taliban’s large gathering ends with calls for international recognition Channel News Asia
UK/EU
The Dutch Farmers’ Protest and the War on Food Off Guardian (JT McPhee).
New Not-So-Cold Cold War
Lysychansk falls:
The remains of the #Lysychansk local government building this evening.
Again the Soviet Union “victory flag” is raised over the building in #Luhansk region.#StopRussia #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/5xx9d7687m
— Tim White (@TWMCLtd) July 2, 2022
Although fresh Kagan-emitted spin is better evidence than any video:
NEW: Ukrainian forces likely conducted a deliberate withdrawal from Lysychansk, resulting in the Russian seizure of the city on July 2.
Read the full report from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats: https://t.co/txd39Gq3gW pic.twitter.com/3WO4WCcd5V
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) July 2, 2022
I’m agnostic on a Ukrainian “fighting retreat.” For starters, I’d need to see a corridor mapped that was outside Russian fire control. (OTOH, no videos has surfaced of Ukrainian POWs.)
Elements of the narrative now redeployed:
The fight to reclaim the vast stretches of the south controlled by Russia are critical to Ukraine’s survival as an economically viable, independent state. https://t.co/I3W3XYBL1S pic.twitter.com/mUH9x2hEBh
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 2, 2022
Advanced U.S. Arms Make a Mark in Ukraine War, Officials Say NYT. HIMARS. We seem to have trained whoever’s manning them, presumably the Ukrainians, with remarkable speed.
Conversation with American Mercenary, DPR POW: “Be Better Informed” INTERNATIONALIST 360°
* * * Brussels pushes for tougher sanctions enforcement via EU-wide body FT
Is Using Nuclear Weapons Still Taboo? Foreign Policy
Chile’s new constitution finalised after turbulent process Al Jazeera
Biden Administration
FBI opens sweeping probe of clergy sex abuse in New Orleans AP
Save Social Security From its ‘Saviors’ Stephanie Kelton, The Lens
You tell ’em, Mayo Pete:
For example, my connecting flight got canceled last night. At first, the airline offered 2500 miles, which I estimate is worth about 30 bucks.
But I claimed the refund for the canceled portion instead, and it worked out to be $112.07.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 2, 2022
We’re talking Presidential timber here, totally.
White House press corps demands end to Biden event restrictions NY Post. Their letter:
Tonight, 68 White House journalists asked @PressSec to end the mysterious prescreening of reporters let into President Biden’s events, calling it ‘antithetical to the concept of a free press’ https://t.co/X5CN1qBL3m pic.twitter.com/v2SqOoBazQ
— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) June 30, 2022
Roe’s demise is increasing interest in vasectomies — which Obamacare doesn’t cover: report Alternet. Thanks, Obama!
The Supremes
The Supreme Court Is the Final Word on Nothing Jamelle Bouie, NYT
Democrats Argue That Clarence Thomas Should Only Have 3/5 Of A Vote The Babylon Bee
2024
Scenario for election 2024, based on “Independent State Legislature Doctrine” in Moore v. Harper (to be decided in the October term:
1/ The Nightmare Scenario SCOTUS is Plotting For the 2024 Election Takeover:
— Thom Hartmann (@Thom_Hartmann) July 2, 2022
Well worth a read. At least it’s a step-by-step theory of the case. I didn’t the Democrats had it in them.
The Case Against Donald Trump 2024 Townhall. Of all places.
Capitol Seizure
Column: Is the Trump lunge story true? Let’s see if his Secret Service sycophants tell us under oath it isn’t Los Angeles. Wait. I thought it was true?
Jan. 6 showed two identities of Secret Service: Gutsy heroes vs. Trump yes-men WaPo.
“Here you have the Service thrown into a day that was crazy Banana Republic stuff,” said Bill Gage, a former counterassault agent in the Secret Service who protected presidents George W. Bush and Obama. “My God. What would have happened if the agents had let Trump go to the Capitol?”
My God. What would have happened if the Provisional Government had let the Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace? What kind of a coup is this?
Ten things we’ve learned from the Jan. 6 hearings The Hill
Watergate Prosecutor Names ‘Best’ Criminal Charge For Trump, America HuffPo
Supply Chain
Bulging Warehouses, 28,000 Idle Containers Herald New Supply Woe Bloomberg
Rice fields dry up as Italy’s drought lingers on AP
Insects as food could help end hunger China Daily. Not just Davos Man.
Health Care
How Much Health Insurers Pay for Almost Everything Is About to Go Public KHN
The Bezzle
Chaos is a Ladder The Reformed Broker. And we all know what happened to Petyr Baelish. Well worth a read.
Crypto Took Wall Street on a Wild Ride. Now It’s Ending in Tears. Barron’s
Sports Desk
Golf In Scotland (In The Black & White Era): Q&A With Steve Finan The Quadrilateral. Commentary (NSFW; Furzy Mouse):
Guillotine Watch
Performance rating for America’s elites. Shot:
one of the most disturbing demographic data trends you’ve ever seen.
the united states—pre-pandemic, mind you—vastly underperforming the g7 in life expectancy pic.twitter.com/wIoOWhKJJW
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) July 2, 2022
Wow, look at that weird dip around 2008. What was that all about? Chaser:
What the hell happened around 1949 in China that started such a dramatic increase in life expectancy? 😉 pic.twitter.com/wIrzdNjVU9
— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) July 3, 2022
Shooting fish in a barrel:
Noticed that McKinsey has a special talent in producing talent that will present themselves as the smartest folks in the room even when they have no clue what they are talking about.
What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen a McKinsey consultant say/do?
— Rick Zullo (@Rick_Zullo) July 1, 2022
Why Did Medieval Cities Hire Street Musicians as First Responders? The Reformed Broker
Antidote du jour (TH):
Bonus antidote:
This clip from BBC Planet Earth II, shows a bobcat jumping over a river in super slow motion [source: https://t.co/81BQaO7hKo] pic.twitter.com/Ahyhbi1uCA
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 2, 2022
We may have run the bobcat before, but it pairs so nicely with this double bonus antidote:
Slow motion of 17-year-old Mondo Duplantis’ record-breaking jump…
— Tansu YEĞEN (@TansuYegen) July 1, 2022
I believe Duplantis is older than 17. But what a feat!
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
