Watch This Violinist Play To a Pair of Mesmerized Beluga Whales Daily Paws (David L)
Artist Turns Discarded Silverware and Scrap Metal Into Striking Animal Sculptures MyModernMet (David L)
Your Gut Fanny Pack The Worst Things for Sale. I can make a case for this, but it assumes Ugly American Tourist, which is a species not much in evidence given Covid. No one would dare try to steal from this.
Why bronze medalists are likely happier than those who win silver MPR News (Chuck L)
Update to Limits to Growth: Comparing the World3 Model with Empirical Data Gaya Herrington (Chuck L)
June Heatwave Was the ‘Most Extreme’ On Record For North America The Verge
Three Americans Create Enough Carbon Emissions To Kill One Person, Study Finds Guardian
Sediments from lake in Japan reveal stable climate led to origin of agriculture ScienceDaily (Anthony L)
Carbon neutrality “still allows for carbon emissions” says Google sustainability lead Dezeen. “Google continues to emit greenhouse gases despite claiming to be carbon neutral, Dezeen has learned.”
To curb urban flooding, China is building sponge cities. Do they work? Christian Science Monitor
An Emerging Tickborne Disease Is Gaining Steam in New York Gizmodo (David L)
America’s most widely consumed oil causes genetic changes in the brain EurekaAlert (David L)
#COVID-19
Over half the deer in Michigan seem to have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 ars technica (Kevin W)
One study found that the association between income inequality and covid-19 cases and deaths varied over 2020 but was generally positive; higher inequality tends to lead to more suffering https://t.co/z7mBowRyPa
The Economist (@TheEconomist) July 30, 2021
Science/Medicine
C.D.C. Internal Report Calls Delta Variant as Contagious as Chickenpox New York Times (David L)
This study found 39 breakthrough cases (85% alpha variant) in 1497 fully vaccinated healthcare workers. Most breakthrough cases were mild/asymptomatic, but 19% developed long COVID (>6 weeks); loss of smell, cough, fatigue, weakness, dyspnea, or myalgia.https://t.co/8lFQPicHxg
Prof. Akiko Iwasaki (@VirusesImmunity) July 28, 2021
Here’s a White House Covid response guy disputing reporting from the New York Times that’s based on a CDC study.
With confusion like this, who needs disinformation? https://t.co/9ltWLguBdP
Leighton Akira Woodhouse (@lwoodhouse) July 30, 2021
CDC says 74% of people infected in Massachusetts Covid outbreak were fully vaccinated https://t.co/5niXT5JvkI
CNBC (@CNBC) July 30, 2021
Reinfections of COVID-19, UK Office of National Statistics
Those Virus Sequences That Were Suddenly Deleted? Theyre Back New York Times (David L)
Unfortunately, the situation has developed into a major crisis, because the government of New South Wales (the state with the large outbreak) wanted to preserve freedom and resisted a lockdown.
That decision backfired badly.
Only a #ZeroCOVID strategy can deliver freedom.
Dr Zoë Hyde (@DrZoeHyde) July 31, 2021
Asia
Japan records highest COVID-19 daily case number, a foreseeable disaster WSWS
UK/Europe
f*cking h*ll. Not again. This is like the bad TV re-run, hits UK first, then we get it for free. I don’t wanna be in this sh*tshow, let alone watch it again. https://t.co/cJIejcFEtg
Dr. Faris Durmo Biber MD., BSc. (@Dr_FarrisD) July 29, 2021
Government covid case figures look wrong. 30% drop so quickly is odd. The Zoe App lead agrees. Sewage results show a massive increase. Young folk just arent getting tested.
UK’s coronavirus data ‘looks a bit fishy’ – as study suggests cases on the rise https://t.co/SX149iFlNZpic.twitter.com/sBSjGnEqXv
Dr Jilli (@JillBelch) July 29, 2021
NHS made secret pandemic plan to deny care to elderly Telegraph (Kevin W)
US
CDC Director backtracks on claim that federal vaccine mandate IS being considered: Biden says US should expect NEW COVID restrictions after mask U-turn sparked by study of ONE ‘Delta’ outbreak Daily Mail
The war has changed: CDC paper warns Delta variant is far more transmissible Guardian. What is wrong with these people?!?! How could they ignore what was happening in India (which had been pretty successful v. wild type Covid despite a lockdown that generated a mass internal migration), particularly since early data made clear Delta was >40% more transmissible? Was this white/advanced economy arrogance: “Oh, India is filthy and poor, what happens there is irrelevant to us,” when the variant was spreading in the UK and we didn’t impose travel restrictions on India until May 4 (announced 5 days in advance so people who could afford to book last minute airfare no doubt did)? And then the CDC also ignored the spread in the UK too?
CDC Scaled Back Hunt for Breakthrough Cases Just as the Delta Variant Grew Bloomberg
Walmart tells corporate staff, managers they must have Covid vaccine by October CNBC. Not hourly-paid store employees.
However…Walmart Responds to CDC Guidance, Updating Mask Policy and Urging Vaccinations for Associates. Walmart is allowing workers to be vaccinated on the clock, giving a cash bonus, AND up to 3 days off for adverse vaccine reactions.
U.S. approval of COVID-19 shots could boost vaccination numbers, Fauci says Reuters (Kevin W). Anyone who has been following this issue with more than superficially knows that approval in <3 years would involve cutting corners. The normal statistical FDA review alone takes a big team 6-9 months.
FDA, under pressure, plans sprint to accelerate review of Pfizers Covid-19 vaccine for full approval STAT. And why doesn’t the liability waiver go away if/when this happens?
Finance/Economy
38% of Remote Workers Work From Bed Axios
Congress fails to extend federal eviction moratorium – which ends after July 31 – before going on recess Business Insider
With moratorium lifting, can US avoid avalanche of evictions? Christian Science Monitor
UK faces insecure job crisis as government plans to pull pandemic safety net away openDemocracy
MONEY FEVER, LOSS OF TASTE, MORE SMELL WHO EARNED SUPER PROFITS IN RUSSIA FROM THE CORONA VIRUS?John Helmer. Funny that we haven’t seen anything remotely this granular for the US.
China?
China: Imperialism or Semi-Periphery? Monthly Review (Anthony L)
Investors Lost Hundreds of Billions on China in July Wall Street Journal
US regulators launch crackdown on Chinese listings Financial Times
Brexit
Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and the new command paper UK in a Changing Europe. guurst is starting to sound like resilc: “The EU should call Boris’ bluff and use Frontex to seal the Irish border…..”
Old Blighty
Conservatives at risk of losing seats in blue wall heartlands, YouGov poll suggests Independent
Inside Boris Johnsons money network Financial Times
New Cold War
Values for Money Wolfgang Streeck (Anthony L)
Stalin, Barbarossa and the Allies | Book review by Omer Bartov Times Literary Supplement (Anthony L)
Syraqistan
Israel accuses Iran over deadly oil tanker attack BBC
Iran, Saudi Arabia on the edge of rapprochement Asia Times (Kevin W)
Imperial Collapse Watch
It Failed Miserably What If the US Lost a War and Nobody Noticed? Whiskey & Gunpowder (Chuck L)
Americas Great Retreat is well underway Asia Times (Kevin W)
Biden
Biden administration resumes fast-track deportation flights Politico
Trumps Tax Returns Can Be Released to Congress, DOJ Says Bloomberg
Ohio Democratic Primary Showcases Party’s Divide Over Israel Haaretz
As wildfires rage, a protection gap threatens Californians Grist (David L)
Does Purdue Have a 203 N. LaSalle Problem? Adam Levitin, Credit Slips
Lumber Prices Are Finally Falling Popular Mechanics
A Tesla car mysteriously slows down mid-road for no good reason but one Live Mint (David L)
Jeff Bezos loses attempt to block the Moon-landing contract NASA gave to SpaceX ars technica (Kevin W)
Class Warfare
Six tips for success not as effective as ‘have wealthy parents’ Daily Mash
Amazon Delivery Companies Routinely Tell Drivers To Bypass Safety Inspections CNBC
Antidote du jour. I know it’s a snake but even snakes can be pretty. Tracie H:
Cool snake at the Orange County Zoo in Irvine, California. I *think* hes a yellow diamondback rattlesnake, but wouldnt swear to it. Anyone?
And a bonus (Chuck L):
I needed a fun happy video. You?
3 minutes – https://t.co/nTBRNEGudF
Lana Dell #MMT #RealProgressives (@organicfanatic5) July 29, 2021
See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.read more
Links 7/31/2021
