Bear-Sized Giant Beavers Once Roamed North America, and They’re Now the Official State Fossil of Minnesota Smithsonian Mag
From deep-fried delicacies to food on a stick and even a ‘hot-beef sundae’: The weirdest food found at state fairs The Independent
Grafting Oases into the Grid E-Flux
Climate/Environment
FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from 100-year flood map before expansion, records show AP
More flash flooding in Oklahoma and Texas last 24 hours Balanced Weather
Grief and Prayer at Texas Churches: ‘Lord, Turn Off the Floodgates’ New York Times
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Banning problematic plastics may save the world up to $8 trillion by 2040 Down to Earth
Very Hungry “Plastivore” Caterpillars Get Fat From Eating Plastic IFL Science
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Blackout risks rising as AI, reindustrialization push strain grid The Hill
Enron gives updates on bid to become Texas retail electric provider in satirical quarterly call Houston Chronicle
The “green” corporations funding anti-climate groups HEATED
A Green Cold War The Break-Down
Ocean circulation going South? RealClimate
Pandemics
This seems rather important:
1. Outstanding summary of a recently published study on cognitive dysfunction in Long Covid (link to study at end of thread). The important point here is the 20% prevalence of anosognosia: having cognitive dysfunction but not being aware of it. https://t.co/NmStNz3CD9
— Conor Browne (@brownecfm) July 13, 2025
Here’s the link to the paper: Profiles of Individuals With Long COVID Reporting Persistent Cognitive Complaints Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology
Priced out: Some Long COVID and ME specialists charge high prices for concierge care The Sick Times
Long COVID patients among those likely to be targeted under new Medicaid work requirements The Gauntlet
China?
No, The Chinese Will Not Invade Taiwan Andrew Cockburn. Unless the US successfully provokes them.
US demands to know what allies would do in event of war over Taiwan FT
Ports and Paranoia: Commentary on CSIS’s “No Safe Harbor” Report Pekingnology
China trade balance grows in June, exports rise on US tariff deescalation Investing.com
Stepping back a bit and looking at the trailing 12m sum (so July 2024 to June 2025) and looking at the Chinese data, it is clear that China still runs a big surplus with the US
It is also clear that China’s surplus with the emerging world is soaring
— Brad Setser (@Brad_Setser) July 14, 2025
Africa
US Launches Its 49th Airstrike of the Year in Somalia Antiwar
Old Blighty
Labour has decided to self-immolate rather than redistributing a tiny bit of wealth.
Grimly fascinating. https://t.co/4NT82xkcnp
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) July 13, 2025
Syraqistan
Israeli airstrike kills at least 10, including six children, at Gaza water station, say health officials The Guardian
Israel is using thermobaric (vacuum) bombs in Beit Hanoun. These are shock waves that spread in a circular and low pattern near the ground surface, preceding the appearance of the dust cloud by far, indicating a speed faster than the speed of sound.
This is genocide. pic.twitter.com/tA7jC61g33
— Omar Hamad | عُـمَـرْ 𓂆 (@OmarHamadD) July 13, 2025
Israeli plan for Gaza ‘concentration camp’ to cost billions: Report The Cradle. Pony up, Uncle Sam!
Israel’s most-advanced communications satellite successfully launched into space Times of Israel
The Israeli “communications” satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida thanks to an @elonmusk-provided SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
Israel will now have more power to spy on the American and global population thanks to US taxpayer support https://t.co/B9YOaGrWH2
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 13, 2025
Funeral held for Palestinian-American killed in West Bank as Gaza ceasefire talks drag on CBS News. Killed by Israeli settlers.
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s private military contractor hires crisis comms firm led by former Biden and Obama spokespersons All-Source Intelligence
“Trump, Bibi, and Ayn Rand’s ghost.” Patrick Lawrence, The Floutist
Rafael Advanced Def Systems tests its weapons on unarmed Palestinian civilians in Gaza and proudly advertises it. Rafael is part of a 5M € @HorizonEU project. Can you explain why you are partnering with corporate entities involved in international law violations @lemaitre_eu? https://t.co/XNe2o3joHG pic.twitter.com/HmrDXnYkPi
— Nicola Perugini (@PeruginiNic) July 13, 2025
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Freedom Flotilla’s Gaza-bound ‘Handala’ sets sail from Italy Anadolu Agency
‘No Nation Is Above the Law’: Colombia To Host International Summit Against Israeli Impunity Orinoco Tribune
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Syria, Azerbaijan renew ties amid secret talks with Israel The Cradle
US Envoy: Disarm Hezbollah or Israel, Syria Will Conquer Lebanon Antiwar
Amid Attacks on Israel-Linked Shipping, Ansarallah Says It Remains Committed to Truce with U.S. Drop Site
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Russia rejects US media report it backed ‘zero enrichment’ Iran deal Press TV
Iranian president lightly wounded while escaping Israeli attack Al Jazeera. On June 15.
European Disunion
EU delays US trade countermeasures until August: Von der Leyen Al Mayadeen
EU antisemitism tsar lobbied against Israel sanctions EU Observer. Commentary:
The EU Commission’s antisemitism coordinator:
– suggested human rights criticism of Israel is just ‘rumours about Jews’
– warned against ‘new forms of antisemitism’ such as ‘bake sales for Gaza’
– used such nonsense to press the EU against reviewing trade relations with Israel— JamieSW (@jsternweiner) July 13, 2025
Europe died in Gaza Benedetta Sabene
France’s Macron calls for major hike in defence spending: ‘To be free, we must be feared’ France24
EU backs off fight against fraud ahead of trillion-euro budget proposal Euractiv
New Not-So-Cold War
Waiting for Trump’s Yuge Russia Announcement Larry Johnson
Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine The Hill
Germany Spending $5 Billion to Buy Patriot Air Defences For Ukraine Military Watch
Trump considers greenlighting new funding for Ukraine, sources say CBS News
Senator Graham: You’ll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves Ukrainska Pravda
US senators aim to arm Trump with ‘sledgehammer’ sanctions against Russia France24
His 500% tariff plan on any country that does business with Russia is unworkable as far as I can see.
However, it looks like we might see some more details on how this will be implemented next week as it’s possibly the core of Trump‘s big announcement due on Monday.
The EU has… https://t.co/zVXIkfVJu6
— BenAris (@bneeditor) July 13, 2025
Grab Bag: Lavrov, Wang Yi & SCO + Putin Interview Karl Sanchez
Putin’s favourite conductor to lead orchestra in Italy as it breaks ban on pro-Kremlin artists The Telegraph
Imperial Collapse Watch
Balancing Act — How Allies Have Responded to Limited U.S. Retrenchment RAND
Pentagon Withdraws Admiral’s Nomination to Lead Pacific Fleet Amid Renewed Attention on Drag Shows Military.com
Trump 2.0
New Trump tariff threats rekindle investor concerns about trade and timelines Business Times
US Port Operators Seek To Mitigate Hefty Expected Tariffs On China-Built Port Cranes Reuters
Not anywhere near ‘crash’ levels but early stage evidence of DOGE cuts, Federal dismantlings, mounting tariffs, business uncertainty, reluctance to fill low paying jobs openings, etc. All consequences of Trump policies: pic.twitter.com/qFrF2FqoLT
— Warren B. Mosler (@wbmosler) July 13, 2025
A czar is born: Inside David Sacks’ 130-day White House mission to remake crypto and AI SF Standard
Democrats en déshabillé
Megabill may not be a silver bullet for Democrats in the midterms Politico
Funny how I can’t find “minimum wage” or “union” in this article about Democrats who allege the need for a more economic focus. But I can find “Lis Smith” and “Tesla executive” in it.https://t.co/8cjpnJ3GJa
— Jonathan ‘Boo and Vote’ Cohn (@JonathanCohn) July 13, 2025
AI
What Do Commercials About A.I. Really Promise? The New Yorker “If a recent crop of commercials touting the benefits of artificial intelligence is any indication, lots of Americans these days feel unduly burdened by the demands of everyday cognition.” See first item under “Pandemics.”
AI is cited as a basis for job cuts and productivity gains. The business press is quick to point out massive paydays for “superstar coders.” But what’s less clear is whether those productivity gains are being shared with all workers in the form of higher wages. So we dug in. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/45OZETwFhr
— Hal Singer (@HalSinger) July 13, 2025
I asked ChatGPT What Skills an App Would Have to Have to Replace a Billionaire Dougald Lamont
Bad Actors are Grooming LLMs to Produce Falsehoods The American Sunlight Project
Study warns of ‘significant risks’ in using AI therapy chatbots TechCrunch
Police State Watch
Copaganda and Authoritarianism Alec Karakatsanis
Is your family member or client at Alligator Alcatraz? We obtained a list Miami Herald
ICE memo outlines plan to deport migrants to countries where they are not citizens WaPo
Father of three Marines beaten by masked federal agents, set to be released from immigration facility Los Angeles Times
Trump says he’s considering revoking Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship, reigniting decades-long feud CNN
Antitrust
Monopoly Round-Up: Jeff Epstein, MAGA, and Monopolies BIG by Matt Stoller
Class Warfare
America’s Budget Blinders and Blunders James Galbraith, Project Syndicate
Trump’s Darwinian America Harper’s
How Corporations became people, money became speech, usury was legalized, and the civil rights movement was used to advance neoliberalism Sylvia Demarest
Fanon and the Asylum New Lines Mag
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
