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Brainiacs, not birdbrains: Crows possess higher intelligence long thought a primarily human attribute STAT

Kitty see, kitty do: cat imitates human, in first scientific demonstration of behavior Science

When the pandemic quieted San Francisco, these birds could hear each other sing National Geographic (nvm).

First Evidence of a Planet in Another Galaxy Discover

Zombie storms are rising from the dead thanks to climate change Live Science (dk).

Expect Plagues of Locusts as Climate Change Gets Worse, Say Scientists Vice (Re Silc). On plagues of locusts, see NC here, here, here, and here.

Debt collectors bulk up to deal with US property loan defaults FT

Revenge of the Money Launderers Matt Taibbi

The Trouble with Carbon Pricing Boston Review

Will Gavin Newsom Stand Up to Big Oil? Capital & Main

#COVID19

Clustering and superspreading potential of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Hong Kong Nature. From the Abstract: “For SARS-CoV-2, the degree to which [Superspreading events (SSEs)] are involved in transmission remains unclear, but there is growing evidence that SSEs might be a typical feature of COVID-19.”

Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized pediatric and adult patients Science. From the Abstract: “These findings demonstrate that the poor outcome in hospitalized adults with COVID-19 compared to children may not be attributable to a failure to generate adaptive immune responses.” A negative result.

Saliva or Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 (letter) NEJM. “Our findings provide support for the potential of saliva specimens in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

‘Sputnik V’ developers respond to Western critics, but the debate might overlook the vaccine’s biggest problem Meduza

‘Any breed could do it’: dogs might be a Covid tester’s best friend Guardian

At the Brigham, ‘battle-weary’ staff may have allowed virus to slip in Boston Globe

Here’s How the Pandemic Finally Ends Politico (Re Silc). Not with a bang…

Not Much Progress on PPE ‘Reshoring’ MedPage Today

China?

How Xi Just Saved the World Adam Tooze, Foreign Policy

Opinion: Let Market Forces Spearhead China’s Post-Pandemic Growth Caixin. So much for the “Communist” part of CCP….

National security law: pair arrested over weapons haul suspected of inciting secession, October 1 rally banned South China Morning Post

The Real Strategic End Game in Decoupling From China The Diplomat

To help defuse US-China tensions, Asian states must agree on America’s role in region South China Morning Post

Rat-ical hero: Landmine detection rat Magawa wins gold medal for ‘life-saving’ work in Cambodia Channel News Asia

UK/EU

Boris Johnson Is Hurtling Into a Winter of Discontent Bloomberg

Dominic Cummings’ data law shake-up a danger to trade, says EU Guardian

Private equity-owned companies win access to UK emergency funds FT

How Estonia’s Management of Legacy IT Has Helped It Weather the Pandemic IEEE Spectrum

New Cold War

Press review: The ‘all or nothing’ New START bid and Lukashenko’s hush-hush inauguration TASS

Four Myths about Russian Grand Strategy CSIS

The Deportation Machine (Review) NACLA

Trump Transition

Trump Approves Final Plan to Import Drugs From Canada ‘for a Fraction of the Price’ KHN. Small ball…

What the Intelligence Community Doesn’t Know Is Hurting the United States Center for American Progress. It doesn’t know who reads their memos:

Despite what the IC may know about other things, it tracks almost no data about those who consume intelligence, including the president and his or her national security team; policymakers; law enforcement; the military; and the U.S. Congress. This shortcoming means that the IC cannot observe customer-related patterns and trends, provide insights into what its customers value, or inform business-related decisions such as which collection platforms will yield the highest return on investment.

Neera carrying water….

Trump downplays impending arrival of Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. Duffel Blog

2020

Trump Pledges To Call For Violence Regardless Of Election’s Outcome and Reporter Presses Biden On Lack Of Own Plan To Trigger Widespread Violence The Onion

Investors anticipate Joe Biden election win FT

Supreme Court Battle

Trump expected to announce conservative Barrett for court AP

Notable legal opinions of Trump’s planned U.S. Supreme Court pick Barrett Reuters

Republicans prep lightning-quick Supreme Court confirmation Politico. Democrats Manchin, Donnelly, Clinton Vice Presidential nominee Kaine all voted her onto the U.S. Court of Appeals, so what’s the issue?

Democratic senator to party: ‘A little message discipline wouldn’t kill us’ The Hill

Destroying The Court To Save It: Democrats Wrongly Use Ginsburg Push Court Packing Scheme Jonathan Turley

What Exactly is the Liberal Position on the Supreme Court? Matt Bruenig, People’s Policy Project

Progressive group buys domain name of Trump’s No. 1 Supreme Court pick The Hill. Yeah, that’s the ticket….

Assange

Julian Assange’s extradition decision won’t be made until after the US election Sydney Morning Herald

Assange ‘binge-watched’ suicide of ex-Bosnian Croat general AP

Julian Assange: Press Shows Little Interest in Media ‘Trial of Century’ FAIR. Access journalism from here on in, I guess….

Boeing

Boeing Year-End Goal for 737 Max Return Gets Boost in Europe Bloomberg

Boeing Board Accused in Lawsuit of Lax Oversight During 737 MAX Crisis WSJ

Airlines Face Desolate Future as Attempts to Reopen Crumble Bloomberg

Riots and Protests

Actual Anarchists Talk About New York’s ‘Anarchist Jurisdiction’ Designation Curbed

Imperial Collapse Watch

‘I Feel Sorry for Americans’: A Baffled World Watches the U.S. NYT

Class Warfare

Harvard’s Chetty Finds Economic Carnage in Wealthiest ZIP Codes Bloomberg

Like, Subscribe, Invest The Baffler

These Forbes 400 Billionaires Made Their Fortunes in Healthcare MedPage Today

Former YouTube content moderator describes horrors of the job in new lawsuit CNBC

People expect technology to suck because it actually sucks Tonsky

Antidote du Jour (via):

See yesterday Link and Antidote du Jour here.