Longtime manatee researcher knows hundreds of sea cows by name at Florida’s Blue Spring State Park Orlando Sentinel
Do apes have humor? Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
At the Money: Is War Good for Markets? Barry Ritholtz
Climate
The climate crisis: corporations are gambling with our lives Reports from the Economic Front
#COVID19
The CDC is finally going to loosen Covid isolation guidelines. Here’s why that’s a good thing. Vox
Scientists grapple with long Covid puzzle as millions fall sick FT
Water
American Water Hickman’s Hinterlands
Global Elections
Prabowo Subianto: What can Indonesia expect from its new strongman leader? BBC
Meta is cutting funding for fact-checking on WhatsApp ahead of elections The Hindu
China?
China’s Wang Yi to champion ‘equal and orderly multipolar world’ at Munich Security Conference South China Morning Post
Swarovski’s revamp, China strategy test luxury market success Jing Daily
In Hong Kong, abandoned villages have been reclaimed by nature CNN
US Pacific Fleet to stand up second unmanned surface vessel squadron this year Breaking Defense
India
India’s Supreme Court scraps electoral bonds, calls them ‘unconstitutional’ and What are India’s electoral bonds, the secret donations powering Modi’s BJP? Al Jazeera
Here’s Why India’s Swimming Camels Are Facing Extinction Madras Courier
Syraqistan
Military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic: Australia, Canada, New Zealand Anadolu Agency
The ‘Philadelphi Corridor’: A goal for Netanyahu, a red line for Egypt France24. Long post on the Corridor from the Israeli perspective:
–––The Philadelphi Problem for Israel
Israel’s security concern over the Philadelphi Route centers on the prospects and implications of a porous border between Gaza and Egypt. The discovery of 3-5 ton lathes in Gaza’s munition workshops during IDF operations in Khan Younis… pic.twitter.com/c6keBmJnqX
— dan linnaeus (@DanLinnaeus) February 9, 2024
* * * Escalation In Northern Palestine Moon of Alabama
A look at the arsenals of Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia as cross-border strikes escalate AP
* * * The Path to October 7: How Iran Built Up and Managed a Palestinian ‘Axis of Resistance’ Combating Terrorism Center at West Point
Pentagon Analysis Confirms Iran’s Role in Enabling Houthi Attacks gCaptain
The Palestinian Human Rights Cause Must Mature Beyond the Extreme Left Lee Fang
New Not-So-Cold War
How the US broke Kosovo and what that means for Ukraine Politico
Trump’s advisers discuss possibility of bringing Zelenskyy and Putin to negotiation table – Bloomberg Ukrainska Pravda
* * * Putin says Russia prefers Biden to Trump because he is ‘more experienced and predictable’ ABC
Ukraine and its allies face off against America’s tribal politics WaPo
* * * Vladimir Putin surprised by lack of ‘sharp questions’ in Tucker Carlson interview Guardian
Biden Administration
Asked for update on Biden promise to speak to press, KJP says 7 times she doesn’t ‘have anything’ to share FOX. So which White House reporter — the crème de la crème of our press corps — is going to ask this: “Mr. President, would you please count backwards from 100 by sevens?” (To be fair, the West Wing would totally prep Biden and plant the question. But you never know!)
Juul’s internal playbook opens a rare window into influence in Washington STAT
Johnson forced to delay House vote on controversial surveillance tool after GOP mutiny threats FOX
US House Republican warns of security threat over Russia’s nuclear capability in space France24
Spook Country
‘Political espionage campaign’ targeted Trump, Russia collusion tale a ‘WMD-style story,’ journalist says FOX. “Information about the alleged cooperation reportedly lies in a 10-inch binder in Langley, Va., home to the CIA’s headquarters, according to Taibbi, who added that if true, espionage and election-related laws were then broken.”
U.S. Government Is Hiding Documents That Incriminate Intelligence Community For Illegal Spying And Election Interference, Say Sources Public. The deck: “Former CIA Director Gina Haspel blocked the release of ‘binder’ with evidence that may identify her role in the Trump-Russia collusion hoax.”
* * * FBI director makes unannounced trip to Israel, meets counterparts Anadolu Agency. Hmm.
Antitrust
Koch’s Purchase of Fertilizer Plant Prompts Antitrust Concerns Exposed by CMD
Healthcare
Delays in dealing with complaints against drug companies are growing, BMJ finds BMJ. The UK.
Digital Watch
Torching the Google car: Why the growing revolt against big tech just escalated Blood in the Machine
Maker of Tinder, Hinge sued over ‘addictive’ dating apps that put profits over love NPR
New York City sues social media companies for negligence, public nuisance Axios
* * * Can OpenAI create superintelligence before it runs out of cash? FT
Asking GPT for the Ordinary Meaning of Statutory Terms (PDF) University of Chicago Law School
Airbnb sees AI as its ticket to become a sprawling Big Tech giant The Register
Airbnb host sent guest’s wife image of him with another woman in scheme to extort him: lawsuit FOX
The Bezzle
Issue 51 – It’s quiet… too quiet Citation Needed. Crypto roundup.
Police State Watch
Illusions of Safety The Baffler
Our Famously Free Press
“A New Voice for the Times”: Is “The Morning” the Future? Vanity Fair. Covid disinformer Leonhardt quoted prominently.
Gunz
An American tragedy turns KC Chiefs’ parade into day of mourning in Kansas City Kansas City Star
Valentine’s Day Post-Game Analysis
Valentine’s Day spending projections in US top $25 billion for second straight year Anadolu Agency
Can’t spell love without vole: How Colorado researchers are using the monogamous rodents to study human relationships Colorado Sun
Date night strike: Thousands of US, UK delivery, ride-hailing drivers stop work on Valentine’s Day AP
The Truelove: Poet and Philosopher David Whyte on Reaching Beyond Our Limiting Beliefs About the Love We Deserve The Marginalian
Class Warfare
Private equity should share more wealth with workers, says US pension giant FT. CalSTRS.
America’s poorer counties are new investment boomtowns: study Axios
AI won’t take our jobs and it might even save the middle class The Register
The mediating effect of the need for cognition between aesthetic experiences and aesthetic competence in art Nature. “The findings indicate that individuals reporting intense aesthetic experiences have a higher aesthetic competence if this relationship is mediated by a high need for cognitive effort.”
Write, Rinse, Repeat: Text and Context in Derrida’s SEC and in Literary Studies Nonsite.org
Antidote du jour (via):
Bonus antidote:
— smol silly cat (@Catsillyness) February 14, 2024
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here
