Friday, October 24, 2025

Links 7/20/2021

Remittances to Latin America Surge, Even As Virus Crisis Continues to Bite in Host Economies

One of the rare economic success stories of the past year. But there are also downsides and dark sides to the remittances story.

What’s in Wildfire Smoke? A Toxicologist Explains the Health Risks

An environmental toxicologist outlines steps to take to mitigate the effects of wildfire smoke.

As UN Human Rights Chief Urges Stricter Rules, Snowden Calls for End to Spyware Trade

An investigation revealing abuse of NSO Group’s Pegasus malware led Snowden to declare: “This is an industry that should not exist.”

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Ban: As Maine Goes, So Goes the Nation?

A PFAS survey: chemistry, products, harms, exposure, remediation, regulation, and Maine’s pioneering PFAS legislation

The Outdoors Is, Indeed, Great

Brain science, and gardening!

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/19/2021

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Open thread ~

Links 7/19/2021

How Monopoly Was Invented to Demonstrate the Evils of Capitalism

Monopoly iencourages its players to celebrate exactly the opposite values to those its inventor intended to champion.

The Intergenerational Mortality Trade-Off of Covid-19 Lockdown Policies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Under certain circumstances, lockdowns could actually increase overall (COVID-19 plus non-COVID-19) mortality for the lowest-income countries.

Pacific Salmon and Heat, along with Beavers, Bears — and Nitrogen

Beavers and bears as ecosytem engineers. But can salmon be saved?

Links 7/18/2021

Asset Strippers Are Preparing to Feast on Britain’s Covid-Ravaged Economy

Armed with record piles of cash, private equity firms are scouring the globe for vulnerable prey. British companies, such as Morrisons, are top of their list

Links 7/17/2021

Haiti Ruling Families Create and Kill Monsters

How Haiti is a fiefdom for gangs and foreigners pilfering the country’s natural resources.