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Links 6/21/2025

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#COVID-19/Pandemics

I have no idea if this study is methodologically sound. But it seems likely to make the rounds:

Climate/Environment

Climate change impact on food ‘like everyone giving up breakfast’ Telegraph

How Extreme Heat Will Eventually Make Much of the Earth Completely Unlivable Laughing Squid (resilc)

Mexico’s Food Supply at Risk from Extreme Weather CGTN America

Congestion pricing in Manhattan is a predictable success Economist

UK farm swaps milk for cow cuddles as floods and food prices take their toll Reuters

China?

How China got the US over a rare earth barrel Asia Times

China’s J-35A courting buyers barred from US F-35s Asia Times (Kevin W). BWAHAHA. Thailand managed to dodge buying the flying pork called F-35s by acting as if they could not spend ~10 years building the infrastructure the US insisted upon before getting the jets. That does not mean that they will be buyers of Chinese jets, but illustrates how extreme US demands are in connection with F-35s.

China’s payment system spreads across Africa and Asia amid US trade war South China Morning Post

Africa

African state strips French nuclear giant of uranium mine RT (Kevin W)

Jihadists on 200 motorbikes storm Niger army base BBC

South of the Border

Why is Latin America so violent? Vodou Economics. Moi: I am sure some readers will take offense with the title. What about, say, Uruguay? Costa Rica? resilc: “I used to hear Russian all the time while living in Guatemala early 2000s. Lots of small jets around too.”

European Disunion

Spain risks derailing NATO summit by resisting 5% defence spending goal Reuters

Macron Says Europe Must Become ‘Space Power’ Again PhyOrg

Are police officers committing a crime? Tagesschau via machine translation (guurst)

Employees at firm that supplied grape-pickers for champagne on trial for human trafficking Guardian (resilc)

Old Blighty

Pro-Palestine protesters deface two aircraft at RAF base Guardian (resilc)

Israel v. Iran

* *

Iran’s ‘MONSTERS’ Bombard Tel Aviv, Overwhelm Iron Dome | Missiles Turn Fireballs, Dance In Sky Times of India and Iran s 3 AM attack makes sleepless Israel panic 18th wave of Missiles set fire to the buildings Hindustan Times and Iran Launches Most Powerful Missile Attack on Israel – Tel Aviv Declares State of Emergency Jet Tempur Indonesia. Mind you, Israel has heavy censorship and is attempting to suppress videos of air strikes.

Iranian ballistic missiles hit “strategic points” in Israeli port city of Haifa War Zone

Israel Buckles as Iran War Shifts to New Drag-Out Phase Simplicius

* *

Forced to Wait for Trump, Israel Faces Strategic Dilemma in Iran New York Times (Kevin W). Note the continued misdirection, that the issue is attacking nuclear sites. Per the tweet below, Iran has said it’s removed pretty much everything important, in particular the enriched uranium. So will the resolution be for Iran to graciously let the US and Israel attack one site to demonstrate their impotence (to the world) but let Trump save face in the US?

Note I am skeptical of the idea that Trump’s delay is for any other reason than to get military assets in place. The latest from Larry Johnson:

From my contacts within the US military, all signs indicate that we’re on-the-luge (a fast snow sled) at this point and there’s no way to get off. We are hurtling downhill… too much is already in motion. Even if Trump decides tomorrow to call everything off, we’ve already set up and committed enough support assets so that the Israeli Defense Force has everything it needs. Reversing course seems very unlikely now because of bureaucratic momentum.

Douglas Macgregor provides independent confirmation from his sources in Col. Douglas Macgregor: America’s Attack on Iran Could Start WW3 Glenn Diesen, YouTube

U.S. Races to Defend Israel as It Burns Through Missile Interceptors Wall Street Journal

Israel is running out of interceptor missiles. China’s export bans mean they can’t be replaced Kevin Walmsley

Looks like this was a part of this cyberattack that did succeed, see: Iran thwarts Israel-orchestrated cyber attacks on banking network, state TV PressTV

Big if true:

Fear and shock as Israelis question motives behind attack on Iran Middle East Eye

War With Iran: Animal Abandonment in Israel Soars Haaretz

* *

European powers to offer Iran ‘diplomatic solution’ to conflict: Macron France24 (Kevin W). Included for sake of completeness, but this was never going to go anywhere (Simplicius describes above how the Iranians are not budging)

How Iran Shot Down Israeli F-35s Using Chinese Tactics China Academy (Paul R). The problem is that these claims are inconsistence with evidence from Simplicius and others, that Israeli planes have not, save one itty bitty incursion, entered Iranian air space.

Israel’s Wars are Colonial, Contradicting Biblical Values Juan Cole. resilc: “Just as Arendt prophesied, there may be no end to “existential threats” if Israel stays her course of equating safety and security with repression and domination.”

Schumer, Democratic Leaders Failing to Stop Trump Iran War Intercept

THE PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA AND CHINA ANNOUNCE THE CARDINAL POINTS OF THE OBVIOUS John Helmer. A careful reading of statements that comes to different conclusions than the ones of most YouTubers

New Not-So-Cold War

Meeting with heads of international news agencies President of Russia

Brief report from the front, June 20, 2025 Marat Khairullin

How NATO military doctrine failed Ukraine on the battlefield Alexander Vershinin, Responsible Statecraft (Alexander Mercouris)

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

DHS Warns of Sharp Rise in Chinese-Made Signal Jammers The Register

Kansas City Public Schools Is Hiring A School Spy to Investigate Students Kansas City Defender. Paur R:

Not sure if this is alarmist. Appears to be a surveillance gig aiming to check that kids aren’t attending the school from outside the district. Tie-ins to ICE etc presumed, not good for minority families according to the article.

Imperial Collapse Watch

Israel-Iran conflict ‘drives the final nail into the coffin’ of post-war world order France24

The Collapse of Restraint: Iran, Israel, and the Fragility of Global Order Modern Diplomacy

Trump 2.0

Senate parliamentarian knocks pieces out of Trump’s megabill The Hill

Northeastern Governors and Canadian Premiers Unite Against Trump American Prospect (Robin K). So will Yankeestan secede?

* * *

Gabbard Falls in Line, Claims Iran Close to Nukes Antiwar.com

* * *

SCOOP: USAID Being ‘Forced’ to Award Millions to Disastrous Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Zeteo

* * *

ProPublica Sued the FDA for Withholding Records About Drug Safety ProPublica (Robin K)

GOP Clown Car

Republicans, Not Democrats, Have the Messaging Problem Washington Monthly

GOP reps want same benefits for Americans serving in Israel army Responsible Statecraft. resilc: “Over 20,000 American citizens are currently defending Israel from Hamas terrorists, risking their lives for the betterment of our ally,” said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), in a recent statement.“

Immigration

Mahmoud Khalil is released from ICE detention but faces new charges in immigration court WSWS

Deportations threaten South Omaha neighborhood built by meatpacking and immigrants Investigate Midwest (Robin K)

Regime Change Means More Migrants for the West – The American Conservative (resilc). The US is working this out only now?

Supremes

Supreme Court widens court options for vaping companies pushing back against FDA rules Associated Press (Kevin W)

Democrat Death Wish

Rahm Emanuel: 2025’s worst throwback He’s the Machiavelli of Democratic capitulation Unherd

Woke Watch

The Great Disappearing Trans Freakout Matt Taibbi. IM Doc does not agree. See his comment.

Mr. Market is Moody

CPI Data Quality Declining Apollo Academy (resilc)

Oil, war and tariffs tear up markets’ central bank roadmap Reuters

Higher risk, lower growth, less investment: UN trade arm issues downbeat global economic outlook CNBC

Europe’s central banks are all cutting rates, even as tariffs tie the Fed’s hands Politico

AI

ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline: MIT research The Hill (resilc)

CEOs Using AI to Terrorize Their Employees Futurism

AI Models From Major Companies Resort To Blackmail in Stress Tests Anthropic

Applebee’s and IHOP Plan to Introduce AI in Restaurants Wall Street Journal. resilc: “

The Bezzle

Musk’s empire showing signs of “rapid unscheduled disassembly” Boing Boing

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. John U: “Dusty the Adventure Dog enjoying the sunset @ Tecopa hot springs”:

A bonus:

A second bonus:

And a third:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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41 comments

  1. The Rev Kev

    ‘Tanita Tikaram💙
    @tanita_tikaram
    I’ve just tested positive for Covid . The 2nd time in 2 months, symptoms very sore throat . I thought you couldn’t get Covid twice in 2 months 😵‍💫 !! Any health professionals out there who know what’s going on with this strain . Thank you 🙏🏼’

    When I think back to 2020, I am sure that the Israelis were finding this to be true with the now extinct original strain and it was being published about this happening. There was a link on NC way back then that talked about it. And yet five years on people are still being taken by surprise by this happening

    Reply ↓
    1. KidDoc

      The containment team where I worked, back when there was an attempt to restrain Covid, counted any reinfections for three months after the date of (initial, for that infection) positive PCR test, as a continuation of the original infection. Also, if someone got an infection soon after vaccination, yet before 14 days after the second jab (Pfizer or Moderna), the infection type was counted as one in “unvaccinated” rather than “breakthrough”. Our team mostly followed the CDC, with a brief delay.

      Studies were/are often vague as to how peri-vax infections are classified, which muddies the data and frustrates accurate interpretation. I found, when calling folks who tested positive, that a fair number went to get the vaccine right after they thought they were or might have been exposed. This exposure data was sometimes used for closer evaluation of outbreaks, but not for routine Covid reports. Rebound infections became common and widely recognized after Paxlovid, adding yet more confusion.

      Reply ↓
    2. KidDoc

      Early Covid variants gave substantially better protection (yet incomplete) from reinfection than Omicron. We have much less data and evaluation of new variants, like Nimbus, so these risks may or may not be worked out over time.

      Reply ↓
  2. JohnA

    Re Pro-Palestine protesters deface two aircraft at RAF base

    Starmer is fixing this! He has declared the Palestine Action Group a terrorist organisation and anyone supporting it is now liable for a 14 year prison sentence. Protest will no longer be allowed to hinder Israeli genocide.

    Reply ↓
  3. The Rev Kev

    “Friday Video Tsunami… It’s All About Israel, Iran and Trump”

    ‘Despite Donald Trump’s statement that he’ll make his decision about attacking Iran within two weeks, I don’t think he is going to delay. From my contacts within the US military, all signs indicate that we’re on-the-luge (a fast snow sled) at this point and there’s no way to get off. We are hurtling downhill… too much is already in motion. Even if Trump decides tomorrow to call everything off, we’ve already set up and committed enough support assets so that the Israeli Defense Force has everything it needs. Reversing course seems very unlikely now because of bureaucratic momentum.’

    This happened at the outbreak of WW1. Each power had their finely-tuned mobilization plans that had been decades in the making. If I remember right, you would have troops gather at an army base who, when properly organized, would march down to the train station to catch a train to the border. This was the era when train movements were the big thing. The now empty army base would then take in the next formation that would be readied for their own departure to the train station. In some ways, it was like a revolver in action. And that was the problem. Once launched, you could not stop it or else units would be stacked up, the logistics would be thrown into chaos and train schedules would fall over. Kaiser Wilhelm started to panic when he saw Europe fall into a catastrophic war and tried to stop Germany’s mobilization but was told by his generals that it was not possible once begun.

    Reply ↓
    1. hemeantwell

      Cautionary note: I’ve seen various interpretations of that claim by Willie’s generals. IIRC, the most plausible idea was that of course the mobilization could be halted, but there would be chaos for a while and it would leave Germany vulnerable if other parties reneged on their commitment to halt mobilization. How that could even begin to apply to what I hope can still be thought of as the threat theater Trump/Israel is putting on is not clear to me.

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev

        Probably the Neocons told Trump that he has to move all those forces into the Middle east to give him leverage over Iran as well as give him more choices. But now they would be telling him that with all those forces in place that he simply has to use them as they cannot be maintained there for a long time, certainly not the carriers. That he has to go now.

        Reply ↓
    2. Samuel Conner

      It sounds to me like a cop-out — our mobilized armies (of millions of infantry) have no-where to go except over the border.

      The forces involved in this conflict are far smaller. If the generals are saying that the plan can’t be reversed once set in motion, I suspect that’s because they want a fight.

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev

        The US can’t do an invasion of Iran and those days are gone. The manpower is not there. So what they would be talking about is missiles and bombs launched from stand-off platforms like planes and ships.

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    3. ilsm

      Early 1980’s on I did war support plans for mostly units’ generation and deploying…… I do not recall any “redeployment” planning. That is; we got the unit and all its stuff “there”, but never thought about getting it back home/

      That was NATO contingency plans, maybe the thought was “it would go nuke so why think about after”….?

      There are officer doing what I did (in exercises) and working long hours!

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev

        I once asked a British soldier back in the 80s what his most important piece of his kit was. Without batting an eye, he said his ferry ticket for Calais-to-Dover.

        Reply ↓
  4. Carolinian

    The single missile strike on Beersheba was not aimed at Microsoft but rather at this

    The Gav Yam park is a major Israeli military project to create a high-technology campus and home for its cyberwarfare units, alongside private firms with which the military works.

    Along with Microsoft, Gav Yam’s tenants include such US and European tech giants as Amazon, IBM, Apple, Motorola and Philips, as well as Israeli weapons firms including Rafael and Elbit Systems.

    https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-media-censors-iranian-strike-cyberwarfare-base

    Reply ↓
    1. ChrisFromGA

      The tech whore C-suite scum got in bed with the MIC. Now they get to experience the STDs … comes with the job.

      Reply ↓
    3. griffen

      Yep it’s a great pic. Not exactly the same but made me think of the Badlands at sunset the one time I visited in 2023. On another point I’m trying to convince myself the short video of a woman feeding the blind tiger is not a real thing…watched it twice it seems very legit. In my youth I would have named a theoretical pet tiger as Hobbes, after the iconic cartoon strip.

      Reply ↓
      1. The Rev Kev

        It looked legit but it did not look like much of a meal for a Tiger that size. I wonder how it became blind at such a young age.

        Reply ↓
  6. The Rev Kev

    ‘Lord Bebo
    @MyLordBebo
    🇮🇷 IRAN TODAY: Just watch this short walk through Teheran!
    -> Count the women that wear a head scarf and those who do not.
    Now tell me, is this what you expected?
    Iranian women can wear a headscarf if they choose to, but if they don’t … then they don’t.
    It’s a modern Muslim nation.’

    Somebody was saying in a video today, perhaps Larry Johnstone, that you can even see couples kissing in public these days. This is not your grandpapy’s Iran from the 70s.

    Reply ↓
      1. Polar Socialist

        There’s a youtube channel named “visitera“, by an Iranian couple. They post walk-troughs in different parts of different Iranian cities, and me and Mrs. have been occasionally watching them for a year and a half. Especially for Mrs. they have been eye-opening.

        Reply ↓
        1. The Rev Kev

          Duly bookmarked. Thanks for that. Got the same sort of surprise watching videos of normal Chinese street-life and how everything was clean and modern. Graffiti gets boring real fast so it is good to see how some countries do not have that problem.

          Reply ↓
  8. Wukchumni

    Take me out of the ball game,
    Pick me out of the crowd;
    Apprehend me using ICE packs,
    I don’t think i’ll ever get back.
    Let them root, root, root for the homeland security team
    If they don’t win, it’s a shame.
    For it’s one strike you’re out,
    At the old ball game.

    Reply ↓
  9. Wukchumni

    My nuclear war prep centers around getting a ride to the space station, but to get the best fares you need to buy 21 days in advance of journey.

    Should I just pay full price and bite the Potassium Iodide bullet?

    Reply ↓
  10. griffen

    Lots of chatter during the week on CNBC, almost hourly on the latest and greatest headlines on all things related to AI. Zuckerberg and Meta are going full on mode and breaking out the wallet, buying an AI start up founded by a quite young whippersnapper. This follows news from prior weeks, whereby the Sam Altman firm acquired an AI start up founded by Jonny Ive ( Apple enthusiasts appreciate his work at Apple id suppose ).

    So there is a bottomless pit of money to chase all the available prospects, throw gobs of billions at the new new AI “this that or the other”. Yeah, you know this could be a new era but then again….a few of us might have memories of eras past when company XYX was going to be the standard bearer of the next technology wave. Enron, WorldCom, AOL + Time Warner…among others swept into the dustbin of history.

    Reply ↓
  11. The Rev Kev

    “War With Iran: Animal Abandonment in Israel Soars’

    That article went into how all those people simply had to abandon their pet as they were so stressed out by Iranian missiles. Poor dears. But how many pets are there because their owners are getting out of the country altogether or are planning to?

    Reply ↓
  12. Mikel

    Rahm Emanuel: 2025’s worst throwback He’s the Machiavelli of Democratic capitulation – Unherd

    The article forgot to mention:

    During the 1991 Gulf War Rahm in fact volunteered for the Israeli Army (volunteers were not sent to combat but rather to support jobs).

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      At least he doesn’t walk around Congress wearing an Israeli army uniform. Come to think of it, how many in Congress have served in the Israeli military – or any other country’s military for that matter?

      Reply ↓
    1. Carolinian

      See upthread. He talked about it the other day.

      I’ve read a book called Irreversible Damage by a former WSJ reporter who says that while there is a longstanding and well known phenomenon of men wanting to become women there’s practically no history, up until now, of women wanting to sex change into men including, even, the full equipment. The author says much of this is driven by social media and adolescent confusion not to mention the medical profits to be made from an ongoing lifelong dependence on hormones.

      It also says that many come to regret the irreversible changes and I believe that is what IM Doc is talking about.

      Reply ↓
  14. The Rev Kev

    “How China got the US over a rare earth barrel”

    Considering the fact that the US military will not be able to get advanced weaponry because of the rare earth embargoes by China, it might be more of a case of ‘China has got the US in a rare earth barrel.’ Somewhere in the Pentagon there would be a chart listing all of the Chinese rare earths used in military production, which weapons they go into, and an estimated date when the last of each will be used up. I bet that they have shown Trump that chart. And what’s he going to do if they don’t start shipping that stuff again? Threaten them with sanctions? He’s not got the cards, you see. He has no cards.

    Reply ↓
  15. Roxana

    The best cure for a sore throat: gargle with Alka Selzter–you’ll get relief for about 4 hours. Learned that from a wise old nurse, at work, when we all came down with the worst sore throat, ever. So tired of Covid….

    Reply ↓
  16. mrsyk

    (Fastens seatbelt)
    Heat wave this week, on a national scale, records expected to be broken.
    Power grids to be tested.
    Heat waves are associated with higher levels of civil unrest.
    Trump “decision”.

    At least the Sixers didn’t make the NBA finals.
    Stay safe

    Reply ↓

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