Dear patient readers,<\/p>\n
Forgive me for this odd appeal, but I am so sick of fake products. I just had my cell phone ring when in a fully-closed supposed Faraday bag (I had forgotten to turn it off). Can readers recommend ones that actually function?!?! This was the no-good one: https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B09MLMNJX2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1<\/p>\n
Why Does the Bible Forbid Tattoos?<\/a> JSTOR Daily (Micael T)<\/p>\n You Can Now Rent a Flesh Computer Grown In a British Lab<\/a> ScienceAlert<\/p>\n Sterilized Flies To Be Released In Order To Stop Flesh-Eating Maggot Infestation<\/a> CBS<\/p>\n Scientists discovered how a scent can change your mind<\/a> ScienceDaily (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Against Self-Optimization<\/a> Plough (Micael T)<\/p>\n COVID-19\/Pandemics<\/p>\n You know, I think the reason people aren’t freaking out about this report in Nature detailing the physical brain damage caused by covid infection is the physical brain damage caused by covid infection.https:\/\/t.co\/haLrfJmVjx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9vfDfoVDcI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 tern (@1goodtern) July 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Yours truly has pointed out more than once that in Eastern Asia, masks either are not an issue (due among other to things being a health necessity on high PM2.5 days) or seen as polite (as keeping you from spreading your cooties to others):<\/p>\n An article on the history of how masks have been stigmatized \u2014 ironically making it worse for people who still mask by referring to Covid in the past tense multiple times & saying N95s were reasonable “during COVID” for the elderly. <\/p>\n No. They are reasonable for everyone now pic.twitter.com\/sLdIGdVUwR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 chantzy (@chantz_y) July 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Bird flu surges in Cambodia<\/a> BBC<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Climate\/Environment<\/p>\n Warming depletes Arctic soil\u2019s nitrogen stores, irreversibly increasing CO\u2082 emissions <\/a>PhysOrg<\/p>\n Droughts worldwide pushing tens of millions towards starvation, says report<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Record rainfall in central China leads to flooding and evacuations<\/a> NBC<\/p>\n France and Switzerland shut down nuclear power plants amid scorching heatwave<\/a> EuroNews<\/p>\n More than 80% of UK farmers worried about climate crisis harming livelihood, study finds<\/a> Guardian<\/p>\n Climate change could bring tropical diseases to UK<\/a> Independent<\/p>\n Erm, what about places that will suffer such bad flooding that mass migration is expected? Nevertheless:<\/p>\n London is the Worst Place to Be When Civilization Collapses? Steve Keen \u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/eGJSKhfBCn<\/a> via @YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dr. Steve Keen (@ProfSteveKeen) July 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Texas floods death toll rises to 24, with up to 25 children missing<\/a> BBC. From IM Doc: \u201cif you have ever been to the Texas Hill Country, well it is nice (a lot less nice than it once was \u2013 Best Buy\u2019s and Home Depot\u2019s everywhere) \u2013 but one can easily deduce the death trap a lot of the terrain would be in a flash flood\u201d<\/p>\n California Triptych: Whatever a sustainable world looks like, Los Angeles won\u2019t be in it<\/a> Boston Review<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n China?<\/p>\n BRICS Without China? Xi\u2019s No-Show at Summit in Brazil Is No Coincidence<\/a> YouTube. This video does not consider the thesis that another well-substantiated video argued: that Xi had not made a single appearance outside his residence after a sudden absence during a major party event. The thesis is he had a health crisis, which kicked off a power struggle, and he is now under house arrest. Even if this is false, BRICS is playing out as we predicted: all hat and no cattle (ex facilitating bilateral trade financial plumbing, which is very important). Even Mohammed Marandi, when Nima brought up BRICS in the past week, almost sighed when Nima mentioned BRICS and said what mattered was not BRICS but the idea of US OKs chip design software for China after a key minerals deal<\/a> Asia Times (Kevin W)<\/p>\n \u201cChongqing, global and invisible.\u201d<\/a> Floutist<\/p>\n Prices of Both Housing And Rent Are Decreasing In China<\/a> Ian Welsh (Micael T). This = deflation. It may seem beneficial in cost of living terms, but deflation if it settles in is worse than inflation. For instance, it destroys the value of productive investment. The best assets to hold are cash and very very very high quality bonds. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Africa<\/p>\n Ethiopian PM Declares Grand Renaissance Dam \u201cComplete\u201d Amid Renewed Tensions with Egypt and Sudan<\/a> Watan<\/p>\n Aid groups warn of attacks on Sudan\u2019s hospitals as disease outbreaks and atrocities mount<\/a> Associated Press<\/p>\n Bordering on Crisis: The Future of Algeria-Mali Relations<\/a> ME Council<\/p>\n Disaster Looms As French Uranium Mine in Niger Faces Bankruptcy<\/a> OilPrice<\/p>\n From the Congo to Kenya, timber trafficking is flourishing<\/a> Global Voices<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n European Disunion<\/p>\n The world\u2019s poor must pay for the West\u2019s armaments<\/a> Aftonbladet via machine translation. Micael T:<\/p>\n Diversion maneuvre. Rutte has told us that it is our poor that must die through destroying the pension system and the welfare state. Mobody cares about the poor in Africa so by pointing out that they will die they are only partially speaking the truth but lying by omission of the true target of this social killing project: EU citizens<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n European airlines go ballistic over French air traffic controller strike<\/a> Politico (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Mounting unrest in Romania over austerity measures<\/a> Euractiv<\/p>\n Dutch energy imports hit record high after gas field closure<\/a> Montel News<\/p>\n Austria becomes first EU country to resume deportations of refugees to Syria<\/a> LeMonde<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Old Blighty<\/p>\n What will happen now that Palestine Action is banned?<\/a> Ana Winstanley<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Israel v. the Resistance<\/p>\n Secret Trump letter would let Israel resume war despite ceasefire: Report <\/a> Middle East Eye (Kevin W)<\/p>\n Israeli pilots dumped \u2018unused bombs\u2019 over Gaza during Iran strikes: Report<\/a> The Cradle (Micael T)<\/p>\n Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli \u2018aggression\u2019 against Lebanon<\/a> Anadolu Agency<\/p>\n Iran wants to buy a new air force from China<\/a> Kevin Walmsley<\/p>\n US imposes fresh sanctions targeting Iran oil trade, Hezbollah<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Not-So-Cold War<\/p>\n KYIV DEVASTATED by Russian Drones & Missiles \/Lt Col Daniel Davis<\/a> YouTube<\/p>\n Can Ukraine Survive Russia\u2019s Summer Offensive?<\/a> HistoryLegends, YouTube<\/p>\n Trump says he made no progress on Ukraine in his call with Putin<\/a> Axios. A bit more detail.<\/p>\n How Azerbaijan-Russia relations came to a breaking point<\/a> Middle East Eye<\/p>\n Azerbaijan has decided to finally turn its back on Russia and face Turkey<\/a> Top War. Micael T: \u201cIs Turkey a winning country? What does Azerbaijan know that we don\u2018t or are they just paid to not understand?\u201d<\/p>\n How Turkiye\u2019s eastward ambitions serve the Atlanticist order <\/a>The Cradle<\/p>\n Russia Recognizes Taliban: Game-Changer in Central Asia<\/a> Horizon Geopolitics<\/p>\n Moldova on the Brink of a Bloodbath: Maia Sandu Legalizes the Killing of Citizens by Officials<\/a> Uncensored Foreign Policy (Harry A)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Big Brother is Watching You Watch<\/p>\n Surveillance Used by a Drug Cartel<\/a> Bruce Schneier. Yours truly just said CISA was unduly concerned about state actors and not sufficiently worried about cartels. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Imperial Collapse Watch<\/p>\n Donald Trump Continues to Send Mixed Messages on Israel and Russia<\/a> Larry Johnson<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Trump 2.0<\/p>\n 7 little-known items in Trump\u2019s big agenda bill<\/a> CNN (Kevin W)<\/p>\n After-school special: Latest Trump funding freeze hits summer classes midswing<\/a> The Hill. More punishing the poors.<\/p>\n Trumpism holds all Men are Created Unequal and most should be Denied Life, Liberty or the Pursuit of Happiness<\/a> Juan Cole<\/p>\n Justice Dept. Explores Using Criminal Charges Against Election Officials<\/a> New York Times<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Tariffs<\/p>\n Global economy braces for Trump\u2019s trade war and its consequences<\/a> LeMonde<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s Vietnam Deal Shows China Tariffs Won\u2019t Fall Much Further<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n US Shale to Slow Drilling as Trump\u2019s Tariffs Rattle Executives<\/a> Bloomberg<\/p>\n Buying July 4th BBQ stuff? A lot that iconic “American” food is imported now. \ud83e\udd2fWe had a food trade deficit of almost $60 billion in 2024. My @RethinkTrade<\/a> colleague @katie_hettinga<\/a> has a new report out today explaining the rising US food trade deficit, its causes and fixes. 1\/ pic.twitter.com\/BoK9mqVf1X<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Lori Wallach (@WallachLori) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Democrat Death Wish<\/p>\n The war on America\u2019s radicals: Mamdani is only the latest victim<\/a> Unherd. Today\u2019s must read. <\/p>\n Zohran Mamdani Is Artist-Approved. The Collector Class Has Its Reservations<\/a> Vanity Fair (Micael T)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Our No Longer Free Press<\/p>\n CIA: Our Trump-Russiagate Claims Were Corrupt, Our Claims On Iran Are \u2026<\/a> Moon of Alabama (Kevin W)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Groves of Academe<\/p>\n Professional Distancing in Academia<\/a> Rajiv Sethi<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Mr. Market is Moody<\/p>\n The trades that will shape a new financial crisis<\/a> Satyajit Das, Financial Times<\/p>\n Is US dollar flirting with a \u2018Liz Truss moment\u2019 amid tariff chaos?<\/a> Asia Times (Kevin W)<\/p>\n At Sintra getaway, central bankers mull threats to their domain<\/a> Reuters<\/p>\n Congress just pushed the U.S. toward a debt crisis. The Fed can\u2019t save us.<\/a> Washington Post<\/p>\n Kiss Goodbye to the Chance of a Fed Interest Rate Cut in July<\/a> Michael Shedlock<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n AI<\/p>\n Botshit Gone Wild <\/a>Gary Marcus. Important. <\/p>\n AI models just don\u2019t understand what they\u2019re talking about<\/a> The Register<\/p>\n The Parrot in the Machine<\/a> New York Review of Books (Robin K)<\/p>\n Hitachi Energy warns AI power spikes threaten to destabilise global supply<\/a> Financial Times<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Guillotine Watch<\/p>\n Prince William and Kate Face Backlash for Puppy Litter Amid Shelter Crisis<\/a> Animal Rescue<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Class Warfare<\/p>\n Let’s stop calling it “health care” spending <\/p>\n That would imply it is improving health<\/p>\n Or keeping it from worsening <\/p>\n Neither of which is happening, statistics confirm <\/p>\n Any ideas on a better name?<\/p>\n “Medical spending” is at least neutral https:\/\/t.co\/fsAYxkzwqu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Walter Kirn (@walterkirn) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Financial capitalism is more dangerous than ever<\/a> Jacobin<\/p>\n Why Hasn\u2019t the American Proletariat Overthrown the Dictatorship of Capital?<\/a> Future Dude (Micael T)<\/p>\n Wells Fargo scandal pushed customers toward fintech says UC Davis study<\/a> Nerds.xyz. From the frying pan into the fire<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Antidote du jour (via<\/a>):<\/p>\n And a bonus:<\/p>\n No matter the species, kids will be kids..\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc10\ud83d\ude0d pic.twitter.com\/aoq2faY1Y0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \ud835\udd50o\u0334g\u0334 (@Yoda4ever) July 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A second bonus:<\/p>\n The difference between a dog and a catpic.twitter.com\/nVhxCxZzn2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n And a third:<\/p>\n The little hands! \ud83e\udd9d pic.twitter.com\/zQaJduqDgv<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Nature Life Ok (@naturelifeok1) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n And\u2026drumroll\u2026 a fourth for the 4th of July weekend (Bob H):<\/p>\n Be unstoppable \u2014 Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) July 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n See yesterday\u2019s Links and Antidote du Jour here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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BRICS and organizations like the SCO which were advancing the BRICS philosophy. That correction said to me was Marandi signaling that BRICS has been overhyped and the focus needs to be on the paramount BRICS aim of multipolarity, and not the supposed organization, which as of today, does not even have a budget. <\/p>\n\n
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