Links 6/1/2023 | naked capitalism

Gecko Grip: It’s Atomic (Really) (transcript) KQED

Where Is the U.S. Economy Headed? Follow the Money WSJ

Resilient US junk bond market baffles investors FT

US bank deposits fall $472 billion in Q1, largest drop in almost 40 years Anadolu Agency

Foreigners pull more money out of China in May Reuters (Re Silc).

Climate

Earth is ‘really quite sick now’ and in danger zone in nearly all ecological ways, study says AP. And then there’s Mount Everest:

Disheartening to see the accumulation of garbage at Camp IV on Mt #Everest (8848.86 m). It’s high time we address this issue with urgency and commitment. Let’s demand stricter regulations, enforcement of clean climbing practices, and effective waste management strategies. Video… pic.twitter.com/KGMlRmUuZk

— Everest Today (@EverestToday) May 28, 2023

Secret behind Amazonian ‘dark earth’ could help speed up forest restoration across the globe Frontiers Science Communications. “Dark earth” (terra preta) at NC here, here, and here.

What a 19th-Century Farmer’s Forgotten Notes Reveal About Growing Seasons Smithsonian

Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted The Conversation

Water

Coastal Town Brings Mass Litigation—and an ‘Existential Threat’—to Chemical Giants WSJ. More on PFAS at NC here, here, and here.

#COVID19

Mortality Among US Veterans Admitted to Community vs Veterans Health Administration Hospitals for COVID-19 JAMA. From the Abstract: “In a cohort of 64 856 VHA enrollees aged 65 years or older also enrolled in Medicare, admission to community hospitals was associated with higher risk-adjusted 30-day mortality during hospitalization for COVID-19 compared with VHA hospitals.”

The next pandemic: How Covid-19 has accelerated the emergence of super-bacteria El Pais. Something awful.

Preparing for the next pandemic will take a global commitment FT. “Only through global policy, with financial and legal commitments from governments and international bodies like the WHO, can we prevent and prepare for the next pandemic.” Fortunately, global institutions have a deep reservoir of trust on which to draw.

China?

China faces a new Covid wave that could peak at 65 million cases a week NBC. “Like the U.S., China stopped providing weekly case updates this month, making it difficult to know the true extent of the current outbreak.” “‘Covid-zero enforcement was very interruptive to business,’ said Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, ‘and so we said again and again to the Chinese government, what companies need is stability, clarity, so they can plan.’” Strange to think that ruling classes in China and the US are converging ideologically, but here we are.

Intel inside? Chinese firm Powerleader’s ‘home-grown’ chip suspected of being a rebadged microprocessor from US giant, test results show South China Morning Post

US Defense Secretary Austin says China’s meeting snub unfortunate Reuters

Beijing rejects Taiwan presidential candidate’s ‘bizarre’ wish to have dinner and talk peace with Xi South China Morning Post

French Navy Chief Calls For European Navies To Increase Presence And Engagement In Key Waters Naval News

U.S. Investors Want More Exposure to Japan. Here’s What They Should Know Beforehand. Institutional Investor

Myanmar

UN Special Envoy to Myanmar to Step Down This Month The Diplomat

Top Chinese intelligence official visits Myanmar for ‘cooperation’ talks Channel News Asia

Russian Lower House Official Pledges Support for Myanmar Regime’s Planned Poll The Irrawaddy. Ugh.

India

Antibiotics pro Centrient runs afoul of FDA at Indian manufacturing plant Fierce Pharma. Not the only Indian pharma company, either.

European Disunion

Moldova gears up for European Political Community summit Deutsche Welle

Erdoğan pulls out of European summit Politico

Erdoğan’s Resilience New Left Review

Efforts to defuse Kosovo crisis intensify amid more protests France24

BRICS Seize Chance to Counter US With Expansion, Common Currency Bloomberg

New Not-So-Cold War

Is the Ukraine war reaching a turning point? (transcript) FT. Much fascinating detail, including the name of the “Russian Volunteer Corps” leader who invaded Belgorod: “White Rex” (!). He has, of course, a white nationalist clothing company.

Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun; expect breakthroughs by early June — military expert New Voice of Ukraine. From May 24.

White House: We are against strikes on Russian territory, but it’s up to Ukraine to decide Ukrainska Pravda

Misfiring Cannons, Rotted Tires Among US Army Gear Pulled for Ukraine, Watchdog Finds Defense One

British police detain journalist Kit Klarenberg, interrogate him about The Grayzone The Grayzone. Straight outta Kafka:

Biden Administration

Biden Labor Board Restores Right to Use Heated Language Labor Notes

The Supremes

Supreme Risk: An Interactive Guide to Rights the Supreme Court Could Take Away ProPublica

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Amazon’s Ring doorbell was used to spy on customers, FTC says in privacy case Guardian (Carla). Carla writes: “What a surprise. But this ridiculous fines routine has to stop. If a corporation is a person, throw the corporation in jail (their profits go to a charity — like for instance, reparations to African Americans and Indigenous People–for a year or whatever the jail term is. Or give ’em the death penalty: pull their corporate charter.”

Federal Judge Makes History in Holding That Border Searches of Cell Phones Require a Warrant EFF

Spook Country

Jim Comey’s Hip New Media Tour Matt Taibbi, Racket News. “If this had been a channel called WFBI, the interview wouldn’t have gone differently.” Worth a read, just to get Comey placed properly, if you have not already done so.

Digital Watch

A.I.-Generated Content Discovered on News Sites, Content Farms and Product Reviews NYT. I wonder what the R₀ is for AI-generated bullshit in the content “ecosystem.” I’m guessing quite high.

Investors turn to AI-guided dealmaking to gain edge over rivals FT

The expanding AI hall of shame Politico

EU and US to prepare and push for global AI ‘code of conduct’ France24. A voluntary code of conduct.

Police State Watch

Atlanta Police Arrest Organizers of Bail Fund for Cop City Protesters The Intercept

NYPD Pursued Terrorism Charges For UES Jordan Neely Protesters Upper East Side Patch

Guillotine Watch

Sacklers Can Be Shielded From Opioid Liability, Appeals Court Rules NYT

Imperial Collapse Watch

Contractor said he warned of Davenport building collapse Quad City Times (Late Introvert). A good question:

Curious since you have some sort of background in these things….Is this a typical way to support a bulging brick wall? Especially with tenants inside. From my understanding this was just days before the collapse pic.twitter.com/emlbTnoPso

— Purp (@purpispunk) May 31, 2023

Meanwhile, the landlord:

FINED FOR COLLAPSE – “On or about May 28, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. the defendant failed to maintain his building in a safe, sanitary, and structurally sound condition.”

I should say so. The building partially collapsed.

IF convicted… Andrew Wold will have to pay $395.

Read: https://t.co/rDW2ZViHWZ pic.twitter.com/M9CX7va166

— Zachary Oren Smith (@ZacharyOS) May 31, 2023

When a Building Falls Who Gets to Be Saved? Lyz Lenz, Men Yell at Me.

Class Warfare

Hundreds of Amazon workers walk out to protest return to office, climate Seattle Times

‘Studios Are Really Trying to Turn Writing Into Gig Work’ FAIR

Thousands of local hotel workers move closer to a strike: ‘Living in L.A. is no longer an option’ LA TImes

Billionaires and the Evolution of Overconfidence The Garden of Forking Paths

NASA talks UFOs with public ahead of final report on unidentified flying objects AP

Antidote du Jour (via):

Bonus antidote:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.