Links 8/11/2020
We Leave the Milkweed Standing as a Monument to a Vanishing World Esquire (Re Silc).
Speculation & Innovation Investor Amnesia
Banks braced as pandemic poses biggest test since financial crisis (free) FT
Amazon Is a Private Government. Congress Needs to Step Up. The Atlantic
When Will Consumers Feel Safe? Weekly Updates on Consumers’ Comfort Level With Various Pastimes Morning Consult. “Comfort levels stagnate for seventh week in a row.” The dogs won’t eat the dog food.
Mauritius Races To Contain Oil Spill, Protect Coastline Associated Press
#COVID19
Global coronavirus cases top 20 million, doubling in 45 days Los Angeles Times
Smash Mouth spark uproar after performing to packed, mask-less crowd at Sturgis Biker Rally Independent
Industry Body Calls Russian Covid-19 Vaccine a Pandora’s Box Bloomberg
Bill Gates on COVID-19: Most US tests are “completely garbage” Ars Technica
Vaccine matters: Can we cure coronavirus? Science. Webinar, August 12 (tomorrow).
How China Controlled the Coronavirus The New Yorker
A National Lockdown Could Be The Economy’s Best Hope, Says Minneapolis Fed President NPR
China?
Hong Kong Media Tycoon Arrested in Blow to Democracy Camp Bloomberg
Govt urged to provide shelter for domestic helpers RTHK
China’s military takes centre stage in Covid-19 vaccine race FT
The Koreas
US explores option of establishing liaison office in N. Korea, Kyodo News reports Hankyoreh
Syraqistan
A Desperate Lebanon May Find a Savior in Beijing Haaretz
Why Beirut’s ammonium nitrate blast was so devastating Nature
UK/EU
Germany closes two schools due to fresh coronavirus outbreaks Deutsche Welle
Euro Renaissance Emerges From an EU Deal That Changed Everything Bloomberg
Britain doesn’t have a government, it has a permanent campaigning machine Guardian
Brexit
Can Johnson avoid a no-deal Brexit? The Parliament Magazine
How likely are the ‘big four’ European economies to vote to leave the EU if Brexit works out? EuroNews
New Cold War
Power Politics Makes the World More Predictable Valdai Discussion Club. Read all the way to the end.
Why Russia Likes to Play Aerial ‘Chicken’ with America The National Interest
RussiaGate
Ex-Colleagues See Durham Dropping Bombshells Before Labor Day Real Clear Investigation
Trump Transition
These Executive Orders Make No Sense Benjamin Studebaker
What’s wrong with the mail Recode. Good reporting on the details of the USPS’s current plight, but seriously under-emphasizes the initial, and bipartisan, act of sabotage: The unique requirement for prefunding pensions, without which the USPS would be profitable (assuming that’s important).
QAnon groups have millions of members on Facebook, documents show NBC (Furzy Mouse).
2020
On Climate Policy, Biden’s Advisers Reveal More Than His Proposals Do The Intercept
Big Tech Makes Inroads With the Biden Campaign NYT
Young Black Americans not sold on Biden, the Democrats or voting The Conversation
Biden’s Ukrainegate Problem Counterpunch. I’m not sure there is a problem. Hunter seems to have been issued a pass.
What if they tie? A nightmare election scenario for November 2020 National Review. From July, still germane.
American Girl Dolls Attend Mandatory Diversity Training Academy of American Poets
Democrats in Disarray
The New Puritans Matt Taibbi
What Should the Left Do With Alex Morse? Ross Barkan, Political Currents
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Police Are Monitoring Black Lives Matter Protests With Ring Doorbell Data and Drones Newsweek
How Malicious Tor Relays are Exploiting Users in 2020 (Part I) Medium
Health Care
The physician as a neoliberal subject – A qualitative study within a private-public mix setting Social Science & Medicine
Severely Injured Woman Heroically Fights Off Paramedics Trying To Force Her Into Medical Debt The Onion
How Lessons from Global Health Can Improve Health And The Response To COVID-19 In The US Health Affairss
Sports Desk
Fencing: The Perfect COVID-19 Sport The Laughing Squid (Re Silc).
Black Injustice Tipping Point
Black Lives Matter protest: ‘We don’t need police. We need care.’ Chicago Tribune (RM).
Sugar Craig Murray
Imperial Collapse Watch
Army Secretary: Fort Hood Has High Rates of Murder, Assault NBC5 (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Europe watches in alarm as U.S. tops 5 million COVID-19 cases NBC
Canada to U.S. Visitors: Please Don’t Sneak Across the Border NYT
Could We Force the Universe to Crash? Scientific American
Mystery Solved: Bright Areas on Ceres Come From Salty Water Below NASA
Contrafreeloading and Cats Egghead (dk).
Antidote du Jour (dk):
dk writes: “After 12 hours this adorable little ham only has 434 likes and 62 retweets, maybe NC could give her/him a boost?”
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
