Links 4/19/2022 | naked capitalism

Lambert and I, and lots of readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational surroundings ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of conflict — each actual fog and stage fog — in feedback. None of us want extra cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers might be summarily whacked.

And for individuals who are new right here, this isn’t a mere well mannered request. We now have written website Insurance policies and people who remark have accepted these phrases. To forestall having to resort to the nuclear choice of shutting feedback down totally till extra sanity prevails, as we did through the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we’re going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.

–Yves

P.S. Additionally, earlier than additional stressing our already confused moderators, learn our site policies:

Please don’t write us to ask why a remark has not appeared. We shouldn’t have the bandwidth to research and reply. Utilizing the feedback part to complain about moderation choices/tripwires earns that commenter troll factors. Please don’t do it. These feedback may even be eliminated if we encounter them.

Jerusalem PR Firm, 33 AD ScheerPost (Bob H)

Secrets of the cat walk: why some pet owners are taking their feline friends out on a leash Guardian (David L). Hah, I used to be doing this in 1994 in Manhattan. My first cat, Winston, walked very nicely for a cat. We had a deal that strolling was directional and he didn’t go into doorways or lobbies, however he bought to go at his personal tempo. However because of a change in legislation (which was higher for kittens and puppies), the earliest you could possibly promote a kitten was 12 weeks. That was sufficient older that it was troublesome to get my later cats snug with road noise (even with first carrying them inside my coat).

This Adorable Giant Rabbit Comforts Anxious Travelers at the San Francisco Airport MyModernMet (David L)

‘He is a monster’: Mississippi man catches mega catfish Guardian (resilc)

How a Lost Apollo Rocket Returned to Earth Uncover Journal (Chuck L)

Bacterial soundtracks revealed by graphene membrane PhysOrg (David L)

Quantum experiments add weight to a fringe theory of consciousness New Scientist (David L)

“Algorithmic Destruction” Policy Defangs Dodgy AI New regulatory tactic of deleting ill-gotten algorithms could have bite SpectrumIEEE (David L)

Microplastics permeate seafood across southern Australia PhysOrg (Robert M)

UCSC researcher completes human genome sequencing Santa Cruz Sentinel (David L)

Solitude is not loneliness. Here’s the key philosophical difference. Huge Assume (David L)

#COVID-19

Science/Medication

There’s a theoretical threat that serial covid infections may predispose to a future extra extreme reinfection

It is quite simple, no must go wild

The current VA paper lends this idea of decompensation credibility

— Anthony J Leonardi, PhD, MS (@fitterhappierAJ) April 18, 2022

She went to one doctor, then another and another Washington Publish (Kevin W)

Coronavirus found in human feces up to 7 months after infection MedicalXpress (Robert M). n=110. However word potential lengthy Covid clue.

U.Va. Health joins national study analyzing mild-to-moderate COVID-19 treatments Cavalier Day by day (Li)

Randomised Clinical Trials of COVID-19 Vaccines: Do Adenovirus-Vector Vaccines Have Beneficial Non-Specific Effects? SSRN. Preprint.

UK/Europe

Jacob Rees-Mogg says civil servants must return to the office Guardian (Kevin W)

Asia

Shanghai lockdown: iPhone maker halts operations at China websites BBC (resilc)

US

Mask Mandate Ruling Scribd. IMHO, this final result epitomizes the sloppiness and unseriousness of the Biden Administration. First, a rule and not using a correct rulemaking course of, impartial of the statutory studying as to the CDC jurisdiction, was clearly procedurally improper. Shocked it took this lengthy to get right here, however perhaps the airline business had bother discovering a cutout. The Biden Administration may have used an govt order as a placeholder through the rulemaking course of. Rulemaking would even have flushed out all of the opposite arguments and allowed the CDC to determine the way to take care of them. Second, if the Administration had been severe, the higher approach to go may need been an OSHA rule, to guard airplane, TSA, and different airport staff. Third, if the Dems had been severe, they’d enchantment, gin up an OSHA rule, and get both blue states or blue cities (airports are underneath municipal management) to impose a masks rule on inbound and outbound planes, as in airplane doesn’t land if there are unmasked passengers. A municipality may require an airport to droop a few of the gates if an airline violated the masks rule greater than a sure # of occasions. You want the airways to have pores and skin within the sport.

Trump-Appointed Judge Deemed ‘Not Qualified’ by Bar Association Voids Mask Mandate on Planes, Other Travel Rolling Stone (J-LS)

TSA not enforcing travel mask mandate after judge strikes it down The Hill

Local weather/Surroundings

CO2 pipelines are coming. A pipeline safety expert says we’re not ready. Grist (furzy)

China?

China’s J-20 fighters begin South China Sea patrols Asia Instances. Resilc: “If they’ll fly they’re then method forward of the F35.”

India

Muslims Offer Water to Hindus, Hug Them During Ram Navami Procession The Wire (J-LS)

Extreme poverty in India declined by 12.3% points during 2011-19, says World Bank paper FirstPost (resilc)

How Privatisation Is Leading to Growing Inequality in India The Wire (J-LS)

Northern Ireland’s dangerous future UnHerd (David)

Spain may cut electricity to France – media RT (Kevin W)

New Not-So-Chilly Conflict

Unasked, unanswered questions Gilbert Doctorow. Necessary, significantly re Russia loosening up on FX controls.

German unions and companies team up to oppose EU ban on Russian gas Enterprise Insider (Kevin W)

The Ukraine Is Still Losing So What Is Its Plan? Moon of Alabama

Mr. Zelensky Goes to Washington Dennis Broe

It’s Counterproductive For The EU To Comply With The US’ Demands To “Do More” In Ukraine One World (Micael T)

Blinken Tells European Allies He Believes Ukraine War Will Last Through 2022 Antiwar (Li). Delusion. Weapons are barely getting in.

Telegram enjoyable. Motion within the euro on the Moscow Inventory Trade (recall Russian corporations getting gasoline funds in response to the brand new “gasoline for roubles” mechanism are required to do the FX on the Moscow Inventory Trade) suggests some European patrons are complying regardless of noises in any other case:

“It requires a non-standard approach”: Elvira Nabiullina told how Russia will resist sanctions ePrimeFeed. Apologies for the far too cheery headline however this hyperlink appears to have probably the most full element on what Nabiullina stated (the shortcoming to get Russian transcripts and run them by means of a translator annoys me to no finish). Quick model is Nabiullina says Russia weathered the monetary shock of the sanctions nicely however the true financial system shocks are beginning. She expects the worst interval to be over the following six months.

* * *

British mercenaries urge PM Boris Johnson to exchange them for Putin’s ally Medvedchuk Republic (J-LS). Russia has stated Medvedchuk just isn’t a Russian citizen and they aren’t exchanging anybody for him. Seem like extra effort to hammer in Medvedchuk as “Putin buddy” versus “head of one of many greatest opposition events”.

Can’t confirm however for background: Russia MoD stated over the weekend there had been about 8,100 Ukraine troopers in Mariupol, method decrease than earlier impartial guesstimates however according to the # that defended Mosul, which took months to clear. MoD estimated remaining forces within the Azovstal manufacturing facility at 2,100 tops. They had been advised to give up by Sunday afternoon and in the event that they left unarmed, they might not be killed. Ukraine didn’t remark. Russian facet claims they intercepted many radio communications from inside asking to be allowed to give up. Kiev allegedly stated no and ordered Azov leaders to kill anybody who tried to flee and even talked about give up. The began hitting the manufacturing facility final night with bombs, a few of which observers thought may need included bunker busters.

Storming “Azovstal”⚡️The state of affairs for the night 18.04.22⚡️

Assault models of the DPR and the Russian Federation took management of the northern sector of the commercial zone of the Azovstal plant and are at the moment cleansing there, together with underground communications. pic.twitter.com/5Laa3bh65C

— Chebureki Vibes (@PelmeniPusha) April 18, 2022

INTERVISTA DAL FRONTE_A CURA DI MAX BONELLI. l’Italia e il Mondo (lou robust). Translation: Interview from the front_ by Max Bonelli. Attention-grabbing element on the identification of troopers making an attempt to flee as civilians.

* * *

Can’t confirm (hat tip integer) however not promising:

Alex Christoforu, who is aware of Lira, recommended contacting your native Chilean embassy or consulate and saying Chilean journalist Gonzala Lira was final seen in Kharkiv, Ukraine and has gone lacking, can they make inquiries.

Scum. I’ve put a curse on her that every one the evil she has completed and is doing comes again on her tenfold on this lifetime, and a few associates with far more mojo than me might be doing the identical:

Outdated Blighty

The Churchill Cult, by Jingo, Tariq Ali New York Assessment of Books (J-LS)

Syraqistan

Captagon: Jordan’s undeclared war against Syria drug traffickers Saudi Gazette (resilc)

Pakistan, Afghanistan teeter toward a border war Asia Instances

Pakistan

Ousted Pakistani Leader, Imran Khan, Was Challenging Investment Treaties That Give Corporations Excessive Power CounterPunch (J-LS)

Aerial photographs present former Pakistani PM Imran Khan’s supporters rallying in Karachi. pic.twitter.com/bstzQppKNR

— Press TV (@PressTV) April 16, 2022

How the Pakistani economy unravelled under Imran Khan Hindustan Instances (J-LS)

Huge Brother is Watching You Watch

Class-Action Lawsuit Targets Company that Harvests Location Data from 50 Million Cars Vice. From final week, nonetheless germane.

Scraping public data from the web still OK – US appeals court The Register (Kevin W)

Imperial Collapse Watch

Where’s the Truth? How the CIA Shapes the Minds of Americans Antiwar (resilc)

First Air Force general to face court-martial won’t stand before a jury Job and Function (BC)

The Navy Is Deputizing Doctors to Enforce Drug Rules Even for Those Seeking Mental Health Help Navy.com (Kevin W)

Kamala Harris to announce US will no longer conduct anti-satellite tests The Verge (David L)

Democrats en déshabillé

Elizabeth Warren: Democrats Can Avoid Disaster in November New York Instances (David L). Wowsers…..

Durham: Five Witnesses Connected to the Clinton Campaign’s False Russian Claims Have Refused to Cooperate Under the Fifth Amendment Jonathan Turley (Chuck L). Clinton is working. She has a brand new haircut and a serious facelift.

A Democrat in gym shorts tries to rally blue votes in Trump country MSN (resilc)

If Netflix is stumbling will Wall Street renew or cancel? Guardian (furzy)

Seem like the battery hearth 🔥 in an electrical bus😰😱@BatteryFires pic.twitter.com/8RvdaBaw6P

— Xinyan (@Xinyan_Huang) April 17, 2022

Crypto Is Poised to Reshape Taxes – and Cities Wired (Robert M). The state of California tried issuing its personal scrip after the monetary disaster. Even with it being brief time period and paying curiosity, it nonetheless barely traded after which at a >20% low cost.

How Bitcoin mining devastated this New York town MIT Expertise Assessment (David L)

Sell-off in tech stocks spreads to private start-ups Monetary Instances (David L)

Class Warfare

Four More Starbucks Stores in New York to Hold Union Elections Eater NY (J-LS)

The Middle-Class Leviathan: Corona, the “Fascism” Blackmail, and the Defeat of the Working Class Crisis Critique (Micael T). Overwrought however appropriate to level out indifference to results of lockdowns on the poor and the precariat.

Antidote du jour. A really oldie I missed in my inbox, from crh: “Detroit, aka, Troy and Mister Boots posing for the digital camera.”

And a bonus (Kevin W)

TIMELINE CLEANSE

as we speak i realized that skunks sound like muppets and this video will dwell without end in my coronary heart pic.twitter.com/ZAF5nuvBmw

— Stu “Logical, Phallusy” Nugent (@ThatSexToyGuy) April 8, 2022

See yesterday’s Hyperlinks and Antidote du Jour here.