A (scientific) defence of the Brussels sprout The Conversation
Christmas sounds a clanging chime of doom Guardian (Chuck L)
Mother Nature just dumped 53 inches of snow on one US town in only 30 hours BGR (David L)
Christmas in Space: ISS astronauts share fond memories of the holidays WHNT News (The Rev Kev)
Worst headlines bloopers of 2017: The best of Lower Case Columbia Journalism Review
There I Was: The X-Files Edition FighterSweep.com (The Rev Kev)
Kill Me Now
Obama’s post-presidential life: what does his second act have in store? Guardian. JTMcPhee: “As Ralphie said in “A Christmas Story” when he spilled his dad’s lug nuts onto the filthy roadside snow, ‘Oohhhh ffuuuuuddggge…’”
Theresa May’s government reportedly pleads with Prince Harry not to invite Obamas to wedding MarketWatch. Originally reported by The Sun and picked up more widely.
Big Brother IS Watching You Watch
Homeland Security Increasingly Means Putting Agents Outside the Homeland NYT (JH)
New York State To Motorists: All Your Info Are Belong To Us Medium (UserFriendly)
New Cold War
The Russian Facebook scandal damages liberals as much as the right Guardian (UserFriendly). Thomas Frank.
What We Don’t Talk about When We Talk about Russian Hacking London Review of Books
Russia As An Enemy Of The United States Ian Welsh
From Snowden To Russia-gate – The CIA And The Media Moon of Alabama (Chuck L)
Go Ask Alice: the Curious Case of “Alice Donovan” Counterpunch. Initially posted last week, taken down, reposted (and revised and updated– or so I think).
The Afghan war: Trump and Putin battle for Uzbek support Asia Times: re silC: “A wise way to spend the last dollar of social security.”
After Tuesday’s rumble in Kiev, Western media’s lack of interest is ominous for Saakashvili RT (Chuck L). From earlier this month, still germane.
Happy forecasting 2018: you couldn’t ask for better conditions to make money SCMP (furzy)
Tribune Editorial: Why Orrin Hatch is Utahn of the Year Salt Lake Tribune (UserFriendly)
Library of Congress stops full-Twitter archiving at 2017’s end CNET
Class Warfare
Libtards and Rethugs: Insulting Each Other as the “Elites” Laugh at Us Ghion Journal (UserFriendly)
Scotland Is Starting a Universal Basic Income Experiment in 2018 Science Alert (David L)
People Are Taking Ubers to Avoid Ambulance Fees Futurism (re SilC). This is just crazy. If you’ve had a stroke or heart attack, you could have a second before you reach the hospital. An ambulance isn’t just for transport, you also get lifesaving treatment from the EMTs– that’s not something your typical Uber driver provides.
The US Cities with the Biggest Housing Bubbles Wolf Street (EM)
Why We Can’t Ignore Libya, Enslavement and the Damages of US Intervention TruthOut
Health Care
How Big Tech Is Going After Your Health Care NYT (David L)
Leaving the house linked to longevity in older adults Reuters
Scientists Discovered What Causes Dementia Big Think (David L)
China?
Benazir Bhutto assassination: How Pakistan covered up killing BBC
India
Enabavi banishes chemicals for rich organic rewards Village Square
Acquittals in 2G court case trigger seismic fallout Asia Times
Beyond Modi: How the BJP Won Gujarat The Wire
North Korea
What really happened in Security Council: China REJECTED oil embargo on North Korea The Duran (MF)
U.S. sanctions North Korean missile experts, Russia offers to mediate Reuters
Brexit
Brexit: this disposition to admire EUReferendum.com
Philip Hammond urged to publish Treasury’s Brexit impact studies Guardian
Tax “Reform”
Homeowners in High-Tax States Race to Beat Property Tax Cap Bloomberg
Cry, Beloved Country Counterpunch (Chuck L)
Trump Transition
What Congress actually did in 2017 Politico
Northeast states sue EPA over air pollution from Midwest Reuters (martha r)
Six Major Legal Battles of 2017 Will Persist in 2018 Truthdig
Trump and Military Intervention American Conservative. re SilC: “like clintoon and obomba were different?”
Trump To Rollback Deepwater Horizon Regulations OilPrice.com (re silC)
Trump slams FBI, Clinton for ‘garbage’ dossier The Hill
Donald Trump’s Path To 300 House Votes On Infrastructure Runs Through The Black Caucus Huffington Post (UserFriendly)
Do It Yourself Slate. re silC: “too bad there isnt a party for the working class in usa usa.”
Ann Marie Buerkle among Trump nominees turned back by Senate Syracuse.com (bob). Certainly makes the shortlist for the stupidest person ever to serve in Congress.
Trump administration eases rule against killing birds WaPo
Sessions rescinds protection against excessive fining by local courts Jurist
Fossil fuel companies are fueling a global plastics binge; what will we do with it all? Treehugger
Seattle battles plastic straws to save the oceans Al Jazeera
2017 WAS A BRUTAL YEAR FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WhoWhatWhy.org
Democrats in Disarray
Impeachment debate divides Democrats as 2018 wave builds Politico
Radical economic populism is the only thing that can save the Democrats now The Week (UserFriendly)
Apple faces lawsuits after saying it slows down aging iPhones Reuters
Appeals Court Upholds OSHA Silica Standard Common Sense (martha r)
Californian growers and retailers brace for cannabis competition FT
Antidote du jour
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
