Teen reunited with pet rooster lost at Alabama Cracker Barrel after Civil War reenactment AL.com

One eel of a story: the slippery truth of a fishy underground migration The Age

The ‘stonk’ bubble poses significant global risks FT

When It Comes to TRI, We Want TMI The Brockovich Report

#COVID19

Effectiveness of Mask Wearing to Control Community Spread of SARS-CoV-2 JAMA. Includes a very handy review of the literature in table form.

Why COVID Vaccines Are Taking So Long to Reach You Scientific American

Why the U.S. Is Struggling to Track Coronavirus Variants Smithsonian

The science of school reopenings Politico

‘Frankly wrong’: WHO official derides US intelligence on COVID Al Jazeera

The Fall Surge Is Finally Noticed, If Barely Mike the Mad Biologist

The Cherokee Response to Covid-19: Face Masks, Made in the Cherokee Nation Native News Online

China?

China’s record corn purchases have traders wondering if bump can last FT

China’s Inequality Will Lead It to a Stark Choice Foreign Affairs. Well worth a read.

Why a takeout deliveryman in China set himself on fire Los Angeles Times

Chinese consumers stuck at home step up spending on poker, mahjong sets this Lunar New Year holiday South China Morning Post. And on the television:

Was that blackface in the CCTV chunwan gala opener? pic.twitter.com/D5cHPPJ8tG

— Austin Ramzy (@austinramzy) February 11, 2021

Up to a Million People Fleeing Hong Kong Might Suit China Just Fine Bloomberg

Myanmar

Myanmar junta’s proposed cyber bill alarms Internet giants Reuters. As might this:

Chinese Embassy in Myanmar released a statement about the ‘cargo planes’ yesterday. It says those planes are usual cargo aircrafts and carried ‘seafood’, not ‘IT professionals’. #WhatsHappeninglnMyanmar #ChineseCargoYGN pic.twitter.com/LqMVGYjhBq

— Mratt Kyaw Thu (@mrattkthu) February 11, 2021

The rumor, unconfirmed, is that China will help the Myanmar set up its own Great Firewall.

How to squeeze Myanmar’s military without hurting its people Globe

Myanmar military releases more than 23,000 prisoners as protests against coup continue CNN. They need the cells….

Can Myanmar’s Protesters Succeed? Foreign Policy

Following the money behind Myanmar’s coup Asia Times

India

Kolkata: 150 Left-Congress workers, 15 policemen injured in clashes Indian Express

YouTube removes Punjabi songs related to farmers’ protest Deccan Herald

Govt Thought No Water, No Protest. They Were Wrong The Week

Ethiopia re-enters the abyss of war Ethopia Insight

UK/EU

ECB’s Panetta Says Digital Euro May Come With a Penalty Clause Bloomberg

Justice in chains Wings over Scotland

New Cold War

Putin’s Majority? New Left Review

Haiti judge accused of alleged coup plot released from prison: lawyer France24

Impeachment

Four takeaways from Day 3 of Trump’s impeachment trial WaPo. Not paywalled.

Here’s How the GOP Could Convict Trump Without Even Voting Vice

Democrats recreate January 6 riot using previously unseen footage FT. I know that impeachments are not Court proceedings, but isn’t “unseen footage” a graceful way of saying “evidence the accused was not allowed to examine”?

“Much To Do About Nothing”: The Withdrawal Of The Lee Claim Has “Much To Do” With A Glaring Flaw In The House Case Jonathan Turley. “Senators could conclude that the decision to rely on media reports rather than witnesses leaves the case inclusive and speculative on Trump’s state of mind or purpose.”

Opinion: Biden needs to figure out how to manage the Trump endgame David Ignatius, WaPo. Commentary:

Langley mouthpiece David Ignatius explains that a) last summer’s BLM protests may help get a domestic terrorism bill passed, and b) a ruling under the 14th Amendment is the next step when impeachment fails. https://t.co/18tsVhzf6x pic.twitter.com/VIXgfkDK7S

— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) February 11, 2021

Biden Transition

The Fed Gives Democrats the Green Light on Large Stimulus New York Magazine

In COVID-19 Relief Package, Lawmakers Confident They Can Secure Millions in Funding to Vaccinate Senior Citizens Morning Consult

Biden’s in no rush to engage China. Guess who’s trying to take advantage. Politico

The climate deniers Microsoft helped re-elect Heated

Democrats in Disarray

California Is Making Liberals Squirm Ezra Klein. Wait ’til Ezra hears about CalPERS!

Cuomo aide admits they hid nursing home data so feds wouldn’t find out NY Post (Bob).

Health Care

Democrats eye big ACA changes in COVID relief bill Axios. “Notably absent from all of this are policies that would meaningfully reduce the actual cost of care.” Oh.

My Generic Medications Failed Me. I’m Not Alone VIce

Gamestop

Bonfire of the Shorts Is a Precedent-Busting Black Swan John Authers, Bloomberg

GameStop: Intentionally Dying Chris Arnade, American Compass. Or, in gaming circles, “int-ing.”

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Former FBI Officials Tapped for Amazon’s Growing Security Apparatus The Intercept

Police State Watch

Charges dropped against Buffalo officers who pushed 75-year-old protester The Hill

Gunz

3 years later, Parkland school shooting trial still in limbo Associated Press

200 Rounds of 55gr MC .223 Ammo by Remington UMC Ammo for Sale (Re Silc). “Out of Stock.” Oh.

Our Famously Free Press

How the Media Cracks Down on Critics of Israel Current Affairs

Facebook to pilot new ways to reduce political content Politico. “Our democracy.”

‘Independent, Culturally Relevant, Trusted Local Sources Are the Way’ FAIR. On Prometheus v. FCC.

Why Australia has taken on Google and what this means for the future of the internet NBC

Realignment and Legitimacy

After Record 2020 Turnout, State Republicans Weigh Making It Harder To Vote NPR

Fix the Senate III: Stochastic Gong Show Interfluidity

North Adams Trying to Address Failing Hydrant System iBerkshires (Re Silc: “Multiply this by about every town in USA USA…. But we have a space force!”

Class Warfare

After Co-Worker Died of COVID, 2 Texas Educators Fired for Union Organizing Payday Report

The Children Are Starving Heisenberg Report (Re Silc).

Unemployment insurance, job search, and spending during the pandemic JP Morgan

Getting Back to a Strong Labor Market Chair Jerome H. Powell, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “Back”?

In Violation of Einstein, Black Holes Might Have ‘Hair’ Quanta

Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot Is Now Armed IEEE. With a robot arm, not an actual weapon. Of course. Who would be crazy enough to think that?

“The great reset.” The Scrum

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.