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.
Can wolves bond with people like dogs do? Science
Fed Chair Powell: There isn’t a painless way to do this Sam Ro
The Fed Raises Rates by 0.75 Point, Flags Higher Peak Than Expected Barron’s
FIRST: The Natural Rate of Inflation Brad DeLong, Grasping Reality
Dollar’s Rise Spells Trouble for Global Economies WSJ
How Wall Street stormed the music business FT. Commentary:
Oh, you like Leonard Cohen? Name 3 of his songs that have securitized as collateral against Blackstone debt.https://t.co/5FDnxaEcIO pic.twitter.com/eMM6QCGzcp
— Frank Matt (@fxmatt4) September 13, 2022
For those who came in late:
Climate
Duke Energy is one of the top leakers of a gas that is 25,000 times more polluting than carbon dioxide, EPA records show NBC. Sulfur hexafluoride.
Water
Chicago’s Tap Water Contaminated With Lead, Analysis Finds Gizmodo
#COViD19
What Long COVID Is Like For These 14 People Teen Vogue
The Koreas
The Floods in Seoul London Review of Books
The Seeds of Ignorance — Consequences of a Booming Betel-Nut Economy NEJM. Read all the way to the end.
Old Blighty
The wrecking crew:
.@bbcr4today suggesting that an insurance-based health system might be better for UK.
Failed to point out that, in 2010, before the Tories started underfunding and privatising our NHS, it was ranked the fairest, most cost-effective and efficient healthcare system in the world. pic.twitter.com/DU4WkWOSwq
— Marcus Chown (@marcuschown) September 21, 2022
European Disunion
How Bad Will the German Recession Be? Der Spiegel
Energy crisis: Germany’s Robert Habeck under pressure Deutsche Welle
Germany’s biggest gas importer Uniper is nationalised after huge losses Sky News
Hungarian premier says EU should scrap Russia sanctions to avoid recession – report Independent
Winter Forecast 2022/2023 – September Update: Seasonal cooling now begins across the ENSO regions, predicted to continue as we head closer to Winter Severe Weather Europe (DG). “Europe is expected to have warmer than average temperatures over most of the northern and east-central parts of the continent.” We’ll see.
New Not-So-Cold War
From ‘special military operation’ to open war Gilbert Doctorow. Today’s must-read.
Zelensky rules out peace talks with Russia TASS but Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Sees Dwindling Chance of Peace Talks With Putin Reuters and Ukraine war: Zelensky calls for ‘just punishment’ for Russia BBC
What does Putin’s ‘partial’ mobilisation mean for Russia? South China Morning Post
NATO prolongs the Ukraine proxy war, and global havoc Aaron Maté
* * * Tick-tock: Putin escalation begins countdown of diplomacy clock Responsible Statecraft. Sorry, that word again?
Could the War in Ukraine Have Been Stopped? The National Interest
Americans put Europe at top of global security concerns, support NATO commitment Stars and Stripes. The Atlanticists have won, haven’t they?
Lula maintains large lead over Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil election -poll Reuters
PBS and BBC Team Up to Misinform About Brazil’s Bolsonaro FAIR
Biden Administration
Remarks by President Biden Before the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (transcript) Whitehouse.gov
Biden Supports Germany, Japan, India As Permanent Members Of Reformed UNSC: White House Official Outlook
Biden: Russia’s Ukraine abuses ‘make your blood run cold’ AP
* * * Senate Ratifies Pact to Curb a Broad Category of Potent Greenhouse Gases NYT
2024
Appeals court allows DOJ to resume review of classified records in Trump case The Hill. “The appellate judges in their opinion also allowed a review by a special master appointed by a federal judge in Florida to continue simultaneously.”
Our Famously Free Press
The Narrative Matrix Hides The Truth About The World, And About Ourselves Caitlin Johnstone. Rather like this:
A brilliant anamorphic painting technique that makes the painting itself disappear
[📹 tcmss1.0 on Douyin: https://t.co/b42tW1CX77]pic.twitter.com/aFzW9jkzZD
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) September 21, 2022
Book Review: ‘Dinners With Ruth’ and Without Any Semblance of Journalistic Standards, By Nina Totenberg Balls and Strikes. “Do remember to bring an insulin shot for the treacle.” Good clean fun!
No one is actually boiling chicken in NyQuil Garbage Day. So there’s good news! Also, 4chan v. TikTok.
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
The U.S. Government’s Vast New Privatized Censorship Regime The Tablet
Revealed: US Military Bought Mass Monitoring Tool That Includes Internet Browsing, Email Data Vice
Healthcare
How Hospital Monopolies Drive Up the Cost of Care Washington Monthly
Zeitgeist Watch
An Ode to the QR Code Raheem Kassam’s Substack. I hate QR codes because I hate standing in line while the cashier and the customer huddle over pairing phone and register, and then the customer has to punch in some digits (slowly and then all over again, naturally), and then claim a phone coupon. Takes four or five times longer than cash. This matters, because lines tend to be in closed spaces, crowded, and close-contact, and while these digital morons fiddle with their tech I’m sharing their air and risking infection.
Imperial Collapse Watch
U.S. fugitive known as ‘Fat Leonard’ apprehended in Venezuela after weeks on the run NBC
Amazon Closes, Abandons Plans for Dozens of US Warehouses Bloomberg
Class Warfare
What it’s like working at Amazon during a Southern California heat wave Los Angeles Times
Workers Upset After Ingredion Brought 6 Armed Guards To Negotiation Iowa Starting Line
Prop 22 Depresses Wages and Deepens Inequities for California Workers National Equity Atlas. “California rideshare drivers’ net earnings are just $6.20 per hour.”
The ideology of innovation: philanthropy and racial capitalism in global food governance The Journal of Peasant Studies
Trouble in paradise Times Literary Supplement. The deck: “Why is economic progress so little cause for celebration?” Review of DeLong’s book.
Reading Betty Friedan After the Fall of Roe Men Yell at Me
Algorithms and the Future of Work NIOSH Science Blog, CDC
The Easiest Ways to Open a Can Without a Can Opener LifeHacker
Antidote du Jour (via):
Bonus Antidote:
QUUUUUOOOOOOOOOLL!!! pic.twitter.com/jbhTkjl74Y
— Dr David Hamilton (@davidghamilton1) September 20, 2022
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
