What\u2019s the point of words?<\/a> Sam Kriss. A fun read. The reaction from a friend who says she has a PhD in Proust:<\/p>\n BAHAHA! The name dropping train wreck and \u201contological monovalence.\u201d It took me straight back to making fun of the \u201cautoreferential\u201d intellectual wankery of some overzealous theory heads in graduate school. I\u2019m only in paragraph 1 and already cracking up. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Scientists find toxic metals hidden in popular plastic toys<\/a> ScienceDaily (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Daily Coffee Habits May Shield Your Liver<\/a> Naveen Shankar<\/p>\n Calorie Restriction Attenuates Transcriptional Aging Signatures in White Matter Oligodendrocytes and Immune Cells of the Monkey Brain<\/a> Aging Cell<\/p>\n #COVID-19\/Pandemics<\/p>\n Bird flu viruses are resistant to fever, making them a major threat to humans<\/a> MedicalXpress. Paul R: <\/p>\n Apparently flu is endemic in birds around here. People are told to keep their cats indoors or \u201cunder supervision\u201d, since otherwise the cats kill birds and bring them home and infect their humans. Yuck.<\/p>\n Bird flu virus could risk pandemic worse than COVID if it mutates, France\u2019s Institut Pasteur says<\/a> Reuters (resilc)<\/p>\n Global measles vaccinations are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, WHO report finds<\/a> STAT<\/p>\n South Carolina\u2019s Measles Outbreak Shows Chilling Effect of Vaccine Misinformation <\/a>KFF Health News. The US is again exceptional!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Climate\/Environment<\/p>\n Africa\u2019s forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds<\/a> Guardian (resilc)<\/p>\n The deepest parts of the Arctic Ocean are warming now too<\/a> Barents Observer<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Water<\/p>\n The global threat of water scarcity<\/a> Counterfire<\/p>\n Violent conflict over water hit a record last year<\/a> Los Angeles Times<\/p>\n North and Baltic seas show widespread contamination by MRI contrasting agents<\/a> PhysOrg<\/p>\n How the Nile Water Dispute Threatens Counter-Terrorism Efforts<\/a> National Interest\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n China?<\/p>\n Hong Kong fire death toll hits 128, status of 200 unclear; ICAC arrests 6 more<\/a> South China Morning Post. Live updates. <\/p>\n How Xi Played Trump<\/a> Foreign Affairs<\/p>\n Taiwan raids former TSMC exec\u2019s home in trade secrets probe<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Taiwan\u2019s President Lai lashes out against Beijing, pledges $40 billion in additional defense budget <\/a>CNBC<\/p>\n Nexperia control battle rages as China\u2019s Wingtech files appeal <\/a> Asia Times (Kevin W)<\/p>\n The Dutch Enterprise Chamber (corporation court) has not restored Wingtech CEO management of Nexperia NL, share ownership, or corporate control. <\/p>\n Nexperia CN is ghosting Nexperia NL until it does. This public plea is desperate.<\/p>\n Production shutdowns are imminent unless companies\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/LlUOJfbChM<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jEc5gNzFqs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kathleen Tyson (@Kathleen_Tyson_) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n China\u2019s factory activity set to shrink for eighth month \u2013 Reuters poll<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Chinese excavator makers go global with smart machinery <\/a> YouTube (resilc)<\/p>\n China\u2019s Security Guards Live Lives on the Margin<\/a> Sixth Tone (resilc)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Japan<\/p>\n Russia warns Japan against deploying medium-range missiles on relevant islands<\/a> China Daily<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Southeast Asia<\/p>\n These Scam Centers Were Blown Up. Was It All for Show?<\/a> New York Times (resilc)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n South of the Border<\/p>\n It\u2019s Not Only About Venezuela: Trump Intends a Wider Domino Effect<\/a> Antiwar.com (Kevin W). And I want a pony.<\/p>\n Elliott Abrams returns, promoting a Caracas cakewalk<\/a> Responsible Statecraft (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Mega-blockades continue into their fourth day as their effects start to hurt <\/a>Mexico News Daily<\/p>\n Trump says he plans to pardon former Honduran President Hernandez for 2024 drug trafficking sentence<\/a> Associated Press<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n European Disunion <\/p>\n Higher government spending alone will not fix Germany, warns IMF<\/a> Financial Times<\/p>\n \u2018Time to act now\u2019: The push to develop Europe\u2019s blockbuster rare earths discoveries<\/a> CNBC. Kill me now. This could just as easily have gone under The Bezzle. As we keep harping, 1. Rare earths are not rare; 2. It takes a fair bit of skill to process them, which the EU does not now possess; 3. Citizens in advanced economies have little tolerance for the very high pollution produced by processing and refinement. <\/p>\n France to intercept small boats after pressure from UK<\/a> BBC<\/p>\n More than 110 million euros in losses in Latvia: heavy rainfall and frost have destroyed crops<\/a> BNN<\/p>\n Bulgarian government withdraws 2026 budget draft after mass protests<\/a> Euronews<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Old Blighty<\/p>\n Britain threatened by gas shortages as North Sea output plummets<\/a> Telegraph<\/p>\n Reeves\u2019s tax-raising budget is crash-landing on an economy that is struggling for growth<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Cash-strapped Britain to sell off embassies \u2013 Politico<\/a> RT (Kevin W)<\/p>\n \u2018Unelected power\u2019 of ultra-rich is reshaping British politics, report claims<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n At some point in the challenge to the ban on Palestine Action beginning on Wednesday, the co-founder of the direct action group will be asked to leave courtroom five at the Royal Courts of Justice, as will her legal team and most others present. Then the case will continue\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/EKaDJW48lk<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Left Bible (@theleftbible) November 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Judge in Palestine Action case worked for Israeli spy Robert Maxwell<\/a> Asa Winstaneley<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Israel v. The Resistance<\/p>\n Horrible: Gaza\u2019s health system is collapsing even after the so-called ceasefire, with more than 85% of essential medicines missing and almost no medical supplies, infant or neonatal formulas entering the Strip. pic.twitter.com\/yfgCs2vU3r<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ramy Abdu| \u0631\u0627\u0645\u064a \u0639\u0628\u062f\u0647 (@RamAbdu) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Israeli police accused of executing unarmed Palestinians in the street<\/a> Telegraph (resilc). Mainstream media finally taking note.<\/p>\n Mired in financial crisis, the Houthis resume threats to Saudi Arabia<\/a> Economist<\/p>\n Stealth Bombers and Bunker Busters <\/a>William Schryver<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Syraqistan<\/p>\n Pakistan\u2019s Quiet Coup <\/a>Foreign Affairs (Robin K)<\/p>\n Settler activists cross into Syria, are returned by IDF after brief pursuit<\/a> Times of Israel (Kevin W). Settlers acting like cockroaches. <\/p>\n We now have an Al-Qaeda\u2013linked ruler in Damascus and Israel quietly expanding inside Syria under the slogan of \u201cprotecting minorities\u201d. This is not an accident. <\/p>\n Let me break down the strategy behind it.<\/p>\n 1\/19 \ud83e\uddf5 pic.twitter.com\/Eta7wh9j71<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kevork Almassian (@KevorkAlmassian) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Not-So-Cold War<\/p>\n Top Zelenskyy aide quits amid corruption probe<\/a> Financial Times. So much for Mercouris saying the Europeans had told NABU and SAPO to lay off the investigations. Events in Ukraine reported that the all-powerful SBU was backing the two agencies\u2026.which means not Zelensky. <\/p>\n Putin Lays Final Word on \u2018Settlement\u2019 Sham in Kyrgyzstan Conference<\/a> Simplicius. Featured yesterday in Links too, but a lot of mainstream and even independent media has not caught up with the implications of Putin\u2019s remarks. <\/p>\n NABU and SAPO raid Yermak\u2019s office in Kyiv\u2019s government quarter <\/a>New Voice of Ukraine (Micael T). Zelensky and Yermak are joined at the hip. Zelensky sent Yermak to Geneva to negotiate to try to reaffirm that his position is essential. Alexander Mercouris reported last week that European officials told the anti-corruption investigators at NABU and SAPO to back off on the investigation, IIRC so as not to destabilize Zelensky. They have a big vote because Europe is funding the government. <\/p>\n the POW challenge<\/a> Events in Ukraine<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s Kaja Kallas is Bad at History<\/a> Larry Johnson<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Big Brother is Watching You Watch<\/p>\n An open letter signed by 18 of Europe\u2019s leading cybersecurity and privacy academics warned that the latest Chat Control proposal poses \u201chigh risks to society without clear benefits for children\u201d. The first, in their view, is the expansion of \u201cvoluntary\u201d scanning, including\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/Jqw2ZvYIFA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Thomas Fazi (@battleforeurope) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Imperial Collapse Watch<\/p>\n Michael Carley: Rewriting WW2 \u2013 Historical Revisionism in Geopolitics<\/a> Glenn Diesen<\/p>\n New York\u2019s BQE Is Falling Apart. The City Can\u2019t Agree on How to Fix It.<\/a> New York Times (resilc)<\/p>\n The Biggest Problem With Air Travel: Pajamas?<\/a> Atlantic (Micael T)<\/p>\n Baikonur\u2019s only crew-capable pad busted after Soyuz flight<\/a> The Register (Kevin W)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Trump 2.0<\/p>\n Trump has rescinded all executive orders signed by Biden using the auto-pen<\/a> TASS via machine translation (Micael T)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Immigration<\/p>\n Trump says US will pause migration from \u2018third-world countries\u2019<\/a> BBC<\/p>\n More than 220 judges have now rejected the Trump admin\u2019s mass detention policy<\/a> Politico <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Woke Watch<\/p>\n Would you go to prison for free speech?<\/a> Unherd<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Our No Longer Free Press<\/p>\n Hearing in Brussels on EU sanctions against German journalists: Massive violation of fundamental rights<\/a> Nachdenkseiten via machine translation (Micael T)<\/p>\n A Visit by the German Thought Police<\/a> Consent Factory (AG)\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Economy<\/p>\n The US economy faces its most perilous moment yet\u2026 Despite out-pacing a stagnant Europe, American growth is losing momentum<\/a> Telegraph<\/p>\n IMHO, this tweet misses the real point. This is massively stimulative fiscal action, yet job numbers are shrinking, and the economy ex AI sucks:<\/p>\n BREAKING: The US Treasury posted a $284.4 billion deficit in October, the worst opening month to any fiscal year in history.<\/p>\n This exceeds the previous record of $284.1 billion in October 2020, during the historic pandemic response.<\/p>\n Government spending jumped +18% YoY, to $688.7\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/phxhjHkFRT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) November 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Year-on-Year Change in US Manufacturing Employment<\/a> Joseph Politano (resilc)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Mr. Market is Moody<\/p>\n The European Central Bank (ECB) has warned that the global threat of shocks to the economy, financial markets and banks is at an unprecedentedly high level <\/a>Green Central Banking<\/p>\n Hedge Fund Bond Market Bets Risk Yield Spikes, BIS Chief Warns<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8Major investors are DUMPING Japanese government bonds:<\/p>\n The Bank of Japan, domestic banks, insurers sold -\u00a510.7 TRILLION in Japanese Govt Bonds (JGBs) in September, the most EVER.<\/p>\n Demand for Japanese debt is falling; no wonder yields are rising.\ud83d\udc47https:\/\/t.co\/VO2K3zwQfl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Global Markets Investor (@GlobalMktObserv) November 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Yen Carry Trade Collapse Threatens Global Financial Stability<\/a> Discovery Alert<\/p>\n CME Futures Outage Disrupts Trading Across Global Markets<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n The US is deregulating banks. Will the rest of the world follow?<\/a> Financial Times. No archived version yet. <\/p>\n SEC probes Jefferies over First Brands<\/a> Financial Times. Running this as sort-of obligatory coverage. The SEC probes a lot of things. This does not mean any action will be forthcoming. We saw only token action versus private equity despite numerous front page Wall Street Journal and Gretchen Morgenson stories, and an SEC under comparatively tough-minded Gary Gensler. Having said that, Jeffries, unlike PE, does not have a lot of paid-for friends.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n AI<\/p>\n Is AI On A New Trajectory? <\/a>Colin W.P. Lewis I obviously have strong priors. And the papers referenced may deliver the goods. Nevertheless, I see a lot of assertions and bafflegab but no explanation from Lewis of how they go from the model of scaling, which is already breaking down due to becoming more and more recursive (having to use at least some flawed AI generated data; also training sets never having being screened for caliber of input data) to this supposed next phase. <\/p>\n Google\u2019s AI identified the father as a criminal<\/a> Aftonbladet via machine translation (Micael T)<\/p>\n A.I. and the Trillion-Dollar Question<\/a> New York Times<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Class Warfare<\/p>\n The housing crisis is pushing Gen Z into crypto and economic nihilism <\/a>Financial Times<\/p>\n Subprime Mortgages Are on the Rise Again <\/a>Newsweek\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Antidote du jour (via<\/a>):<\/p>\n A different sort of antidote (Chuck L):<\/p>\n Gitchi Gumee pic.twitter.com\/kw5plpagdZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 KeriA (@KeriA1776again) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A bonus:<\/p>\n Baby bear learning to skip \u2014 Science girl (@sciencegirl) November 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n See yesterday\u2019s Links and Antidote du Jour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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