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Links 12/16/2025

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A Powerful New Drug Is Creating a ‘Withdrawal Crisis’ in Philadelphia New York Times (resilc)

For Me, Postpartum Testosterone Decline Has Been Very Real Freddie deBoer

New study shows some plant-based diets may raise heart disease risk ScienceDaily (Kevin W)

Free pass or failing grade for saturated fats? Review sets off scientific and political debate STAT. The plural of anecdote is not data. However, my mother thought butter was a food group and lived to be 94.

Huge Study Finds Very Worrying Results for Medical Marijuana Patients Futurism. Micael T: “Not surprising. Commercial interests, VC & PE, are behind the marijuana-boom.”

#COVID-19/Pandemics

Climate/Environment

Glaciers To Reach Peak Rate of Extinction In the Alps In Eight Years Guardian

China?

The Fusion Race: China Versus Outlaw US Empire Karl Sanchez

China’s Elite-Focused Schools Are Failing Most Students, Top Educators Say Caixin

Consumption in China: Is it really that bad? Asia Times (Norbert H). A reaction from PlutoniumKun by e-mail:

It’s hard to really get a grip on that article as it throws a lot of figures around in a somewhat haphazard way.

It is true that China traditionally undercounted services in its GDP figures (one reason why 1990’s growth was exaggerated – there was a huge GDP undercount for the previous decades), but that was more or less addressed in the 1990’s, and is irrelevant when looking at overall trends. It is also irrelevant to the overall question of ‘real’ Chinese GDP pp, which again, it has always been recognised as a probable undercount when compared to the US (although not necessarily to other countries).

What matters is how consumption relates to overall spending proportionately, and how it relates to overall nominal GDP growth – in all these cases it has been seriously lagging, indicating not just an imbalanced economy, but quite a severe domestic recession (ongoing for quite a few years now), covered over by repeated credit booms.

I keep coming across numerous stories of insane levels of over-building – from municipal incinerators that are fed from digging up old landfills, to vast data centres that are completely unused. When you look at the energy output figures, there are obviously huge areas of production that don’t seem to be hitting the overall figures – one suggestion I’ve seen is that there is a major expansion of the plastics industry which is accounting for much of the nomminal apparent increase in energy use.

In my opinion, the only real questions about the Chinese economy are whether Beijing’s balance sheet can successfully take on all the accumulated debt, and whether the lower level system becomes zombified or undergoes some sort of collapse. The total combined debts within the banking and shadow banking system are now significantly above those of Japan in the late 1980’s.

Japan

Ask China: Sanae Takaichi’s Remarks and the Renewed Tensions in China–Japan Relations China Affairs

The Antipodes

Here is everything the media is not telling you about the Bondi beach shooting Council Estate Media (resilc). Important.

Australian governments, media target anti-genocide protests over Bondi Beach shooting WSWS. Micael T: “My first thought what will happen after I heard about the shooting.”

‘It was a matter of conscience’: Ahmed al-Ahmed’s family reveal why he risked his life to disarm alleged Bondi shooter Guardian. He suffered pretty serious injury, which has weirdly not been well reported in the US.

Australia announces strict new gun laws. Here’s how it can act so swiftly NPR (Kevin W)

South of the Border

Venezuela Halts Gas Supply Deals With Trinidad and Tobago TeleSUR

US carries out strikes on 3 vessels in eastern Pacific Anadolu Agency

European Disunion

EU Sanctions Swiss Intelligence Expert Jacques Baud Moon of Alabama

EU state offers to cover costs incurred by Hungary for cutting energy ties with Russia RT (Kevin W)

The Political Theatre of Fredrich Mertz China Economic Indicator

Foreign takeovers across Germany German Foreign Policy. Micael T: “A good reminder that corporations and their shareholders are the first and greatest of traitors. None of the German industry associations have said or done anything to stop the German or EU political-economical suicide.”

Old Blighty

Britain caught in ‘space between peace and war’, says new head of MI6 Guardian (Kevin W)

UK unemployment rate rises to 5.1% The Times

Israel v. The Resistance

Israeli troops shoot settler suspected of attempted knife attack on soldiers Middle East Eye (resilc)

ICC rejects Israeli bid to block Gaza war crimes investigation Aljazeera

UN General Assembly adopts resolution backing Palestinians’ right to self-determination Anadolu Agency

New Not-So-Cold War

Sitrep Ukraine and Russia Julian Macfarlane

Ukraine’s Energy Grid Reaching Final Tipping Point as Fears Rise Kiev May Face Total Blackout Simplicius

Brief Frontline Report – December 15th, 2025 Marat Khairullin

* * *

Round and Round and Round Oliver Boyd-Barrett

Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Appears To Be On The Brink Of Implicating Zelensky Andrew Korybko

Mafiosi commanders, expendable troops Events in Ukraine

The Bank of Russia demanded 18.1 trillion rubles from Euroclear Vzglyad via machine translation (Micael T)

Nord Stream: “The Russians are conducting the process through the ‘hands’ of the Germans” Overton via machine translation (Micael T)

Russia’s Logic of Long Rule: Continuity, Statecraft and the Illusion of Regime Change Kautilya the Contemplator (Anthony L)

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

How a US Citizen Was Scanned With ICE’s Facial Recognition Tech 404Media

New identity checks reshaping US federal student aid BioMetric Update

Imperial Collapse Watch

The delegitimization of elites CocotteMinute

North Adams Worked the Weekend Fixing Water Line Breaks iBerkshires. resilc: “No infrastructure in small town ‘merika, but troops in Syria…”

Trump 2.0

Fewer dolls and pencils: Donald Trump struggles to read the US’s cost of living crisis Financial Times

Energy bills in US have increased 13% since Trump took office, new report finds ABC (Kevin W)

“Trump and ‘the end of history.’” Patrick Lawrence

How absolute loyalty to Trump evaporated Telegraph (resilc)

Trump’s Failed Lackey ‘Diplomacy’ Daniel Larison

White House Refuses to Rule Out Summary Executions of People on Its Secret Domestic Terrorist List Intercept (Robin K)

Trump says Rob Reiner, victims of possible homicide, died of ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ The Hill. The underlying tweet. Trump has now undeniably lost his mind. Vile and over the top narcissistic. From IM Doc by e-mail:

As I have been saying over and over for a long time, and I will say again, he has white matter disease.

Again, why did they not release the MRI results of the brain? It was assuredly done with the whole body MRI. It is an absolutely critical piece of evidence. The absence of the MRI brain in that report sticks out like a sore thumb. By not releasing it, they are literally screaming “We are hiding something”. We are going to certainly all see what I am talking about over the next little while. And again – I could care less what “experts” say. “Experts” were telling us there was nothing wrong with Biden either.

He does not have standard issue dementia. He almost assuredly has white matter disease. The foundational symptoms of this are behavioral. The underlying personality they have had for their lives becomes profoundly magnified. They completely lose their filter. There are memory issues but not like Alzheimers, etc. They are perfectly able to care for and feed themselves. But their family often has a tendency to stuff them in the attic. They say the most inappropriate things at the most inopportune times. They will often ruminate about the good old days. Their entire conversation is stuff they have done in the 1950s – and so much of the time focuses on perceived slights.

He is a textbook case. He most certainly does not have dementia in any way shape or form. This is not a Biden scenario. But that being said, it is beginning to look like we are all going to find out that these patients that have this problem are not at all suitable for POTUS.

At the very least, someone in his orbit, just like so many of my patients’ families have had to do, needs to disabuse him of phone privileges. And amazingly in my practice this has often been in the past for exactly the same thing he did today. Sending emails and texts that are completely inappropriate. I can write a book about all the nuclear bombs that have been thrown into family dynamics by these patients.

Trump says building DC triumphal arch is domestic policy chief’s ‘primary thing’ Guardian

Tariffs

A potential tariff refund fight is already chaotic Axios

Health Care

Will Congressional Inaction Force Farmers to Choose Between Health Insurance and Their Farm Budget? AgWeb

House GOP moderates signal they’ll fall in line with Johnson’s health plan Politico

Mamdani

More Muslim candidates seek office as ‘Mamdani effect’ takes hold The Hill

GOP Clown Car

Why Florida is ground zero for coming ObamaCare storm The Hill

Our No Longer Free Press

Donald Trump files $10bn lawsuit against the BBC Financial Times

Economy

Copper Prices Surge Toward $12,000 on AI Demand and Supply Chaos OilPrice

Wall Street frets about make-or-break jobs report… but a key measure is missing for the first time in 80 years Daily Mail. When even the Daily Mail clears its throat…

AI

On the Fundamental Impossibility of Hallucination Control in Large Language Models aRxiv (fk). This comes off as dispositive, but contacts argue that technologists are working on using symbols to augment LLMs as well as find ways to screen for hallucinations. ????

The AI Boom Is Pushing Data Centers Past the Thermal Wall OilPrice

The AI-fueled chip shortage could raise smartphone prices — new research spells out by how much CNBC

How Much Did AI Spending Contribute to First-Half GDP? What About Q3? Michael Shedlock

The Bezzle

General Motors Leading The Pack With New Innovative Ways To Screw The Consumer YouTube (resilc)

Guillotine Watch

Streamer Sued for Assaulting Gay Robot Futurism. Micael T: “Great! Now they make it illegal to counter-attack robots. Resistance must be futile

Class Warfare

Did the PA cops who arrested Luigi Mangione mess things up for NYC prosecutors? Gothamist. I have taken to watching civil rights videos. The default is “I do not consent to a search” when there is no search warrant. If there is a warrant, read it to see if it was really signed by a judge, and to see what it provides for. Sadly none of these protections operate at the border….

You are Klarna’s little bitch. Aftonbladet via machine translation (Micael T)

Then as farce, now as tragedy: The second coming of Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority CADTM (Micael T)

Antidote du jour (via):

And a bonus:

A second bonus:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.

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18 comments

  1. The Rev Kev

    “Venezuela Halts Gas Supply Deals With Trinidad and Tobago”

    There is another reason why Venezuela is doing this-

    ‘Trinidad and Tobago will allow the US military to use its airports in the coming weeks, according to a statement from the Caribbean island nation’s Foreign Ministry, as the US continues ramping up military activity near Venezuela.

    Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Ministry cited recent military cooperation with the US in its statement, including the recent installation of a radar system in the country.

    “In keeping with established bilateral cooperation, the Ministry has granted approvals for United States military aircraft to transit Trinidad and Tobago’s airports in the coming weeks. The United States has advised that these movements are logistical in nature, facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations,” the ministry said.’

    https://news.antiwar.com/2025/12/15/trinidad-and-tobago-to-open-its-airports-to-us-military-as-us-continues-buildup-near-venezuela/

    And the island of Trinidad is just seven miles off the coast of Venezuela. But if the US attacks Venezuela, then Trinidad could find itself being attacked too.

    Reply ↓
  2. Wukchumni

    Trump says building DC triumphal arch is domestic policy chief’s ‘primary thing’ Guardian
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I’ve always thought that Benedict Donald is a mish-mash of famous for all the wrong reasons characters of the past…

    Adolf is the easy one, but he has so much Caligula in him, and as always with these reprehensible types, it doesn’t end well.

    Change up ‘Praytorian Guard’ for the Roman version of our ‘Galligula’.

    Known for lavish spending, tyranny, and alleged insanity, though he began with popular reforms before descending into depravity, culminating in his assassination by the Praetorian Guard and senators who sought to restore the Republic.

    Reply ↓
    1. ilsm

      Caligula comes to mind…..

      Who will be Caligula 2025’s equine senator?

      Did Benedict fiddle while they demo’ed the White House for his ballroom?

      Reply ↓
    2. The Rev Kev

      Ever since Trump attended Bastille Day with Macron, he seems to be envious and wants to outdo old Europe. No doubt when it is built he will name it the Victory Arch or something. The image at the top of this article will give you an idea what he wants to see-

      https://www.stripes.com/news/2017-07-13/americans-to-lead-bastille-day-parade-in-paris-1526566.html1

      I hope that he does not get the same idea with the Eiffel Tower. He would want it bigger of course but you can bet that such a thing would cost who knows how many billions of dollars and it would probably be located in the main flight path of Washington Dulles International Airport.

      Reply ↓
  3. .Tom

    I don’t understand a couple of terms in PK’s comment about China’s economy. “whether Beijing’s balance sheet can successfully take on all the accumulated debt, and whether the lower level system becomes zombified or undergoes some sort of collapse.” What is “Beijing’s balance sheet”? Is it that of the People’s Bank of China? And what is “the lower system”?

    Reply ↓
  4. Mikerw0

    On the red metal… recall how commodity prices surged into the summer of 2008 on a sea change in demand due to China. This proved to be one of the canaries in the coal mine that something was wrong. My bet is the same thing is happening.

    Futures markets for these commodities are actually pretty thin and they really weren’t designed for speculation. When traders pile in they price is overly sensitive.

    There are real physical constraints on a metal like copper. No major new reserves have been found arguably since the Grasberg (FCX in Indonesia) in the early 90s despite people looking. Kennecott ws supposed to be shut by now, but the higher prices justifies producing from lower grade ores. Even if a major new reserve is found it can easily take 5 – 10 years to start production, against a backdrop of mine depletion.

    Reply ↓
    1. Wukchumni

      Much was made of getting rid of the Lowly Lincoln, but it’s the Nickel that really has to go, and it ought to be called the ‘Copper’ as 75% of the composition is copper, but the 25% nickel composition is much more dominant looking~

      In terms of cost, it’s about the same amount to print a $100 banknote as to mint a Jefferson Nickel, funny that.

      Reply ↓
  5. The Rev Kev

    “Israeli troops shoot settler suspected of attempted knife attack on soldiers”

    ‘Soldiers open fire on man in his 20s before realising he was a settler with suspected mental illness’

    I ask you. How could they possibly tell the difference.

    Reply ↓
  6. Pat

    I had to tell a couple of people about Ahmed al-Ahmed. I don’t find it weird at all that his act of heroism is being ignored by most American coverage. It upsets the desired view of the event.

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      Oddly enough I have not heard the Al-Qaeda President of Syria say anything, even though the guy was Syrian. You would think that he would send congratulations or something but I have heard nothing.

      Reply ↓
  7. Adam1

    IM Doc’s email…

    When I read Trumps text on Reiner I was completely taken aback and could only think that he really has lost his mind. What political figure would say such things publicly. It even made me wonder how many conspiracy folks were going to walk away wondering if it was a hit by Trump that killed Reiner.

    And thanks Doc for your take.

    Reply ↓
    1. The Rev Kev

      He’s losing his filters and what is coming out of his mouth is straight from his Id. Monsters from his Id I tells ya, monsters from his Id.

      Reply ↓
  8. The Rev Kev

    “Australian governments, media target anti-genocide protests over Bondi Beach shooting”

    The usual Zionist suspects are coming out and saying forget tightening gun controls but it is all about antisemitism. This was the line of the leader of the Opposition and even ex-Prime Minister John Howard – and uberconservative – lurched out of his crypt to say the same thing. I can only imagine what laws they would like to see passed based on this idea. Maybe every Muslim in Oz will be required to wear an ankle bracelet monitor – though you would not want the Israelis making them. But this is fogging about what actually happened. Like the fact that the father and son traveled to the Philippines for 4 weeks about a month or so ago where they got training in an ISIS camp. That would explain the presence of IEDs in their car and you can be sure that Philippines intelligence is now checking that out-

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-16/bondi-gunmen-went-to-philippines-for-military-style-training/106148662

    Other stories are coming out like this older couple wrestling a rifle of one of the shooters at the beginning of the attack – caught by the cam on a passing car – but the shooter pulled another gun and shot them both dead. There are criticisms of the police not protecting the Hanukkah event but two police went to hospital for intensive care and it was the police that shot both shooters. One video showed this detective taking cover behind a not very thick, bent tree but managed to shoot the father at about 30 meters with a pistol to which I say good shooting, Tex. And of course blood donations have shot through the roof. I can only wonder what the media coverage is like in other countries.

    Reply ↓
  9. DJG, Reality Czar

    Trump tweeting about Rob and Michelle Reiner and their death. IM Doc’s comment as to white matter disease.

    The issue here, culturally and politically: How has the U S of A ended up with two presidents in a row who are noticeably semi-brain-dead?

    Further, and weirdly, is part of their appeal in the current swamp of U.S. political culture that the two of them are so overtly resentful?

    How much of their public meltdowns is the result of social media? Is everyone just too mediaized and too overexposed these days? (I’m thinking of the mediaized public vileness of people like Alex Karp, Peter Thiel, Hillary Clinton, Epstein Whisperer Stacey Plaskett, and Lindsey Graham.)

    Woodrow Wilson had a stroke. So he had an excuse of sorts. But something else is going at a larger level than psychology that puts Biden and Trump in office when they are both impaired.

    [Required disclaimer: This is not an argument for either Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris, who are both ethical swamps lacking a moral compass.]

    Reply ↓
    1. Cassandra

      I would argue that their sense of resentment and their inability to think critically (or even coherently) make both men easy targets for manipulation. They both have a long history of outrageous unfiltered comments, so when they say the quiet part out loud, people tend to shrug and say, “Yeah, that’s Trump/Biden. Whattayagonnado?”

      They are both convenient faces for the ongoing pillage of America.

      Reply ↓
  10. Adam1

    North Adams water main…

    I’m not an engineer, but when someone says, “The loss of the main line caused a drop in pressure, and the pressure changes are causing more breaks.” I’m pretty sure that’s a sign that a good portion of the system has degraded beyond it’s original design parameters and should have been replaced years ago. It’s also the outcome of the American favorite of delayed maintenance to fund tax cuts or prevent tax increases.

    Reply ↓

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