Links 2/9/2025 | naked capitalism

Scientists discover whale track, human language share similar construction CGTN

I gave up my life in London to change into a goat residing within the Swiss mountains: Brit created prosthetic legs, ate grass, turned accepted by the herd… and says they make ‘higher individuals than we do’ Every day Mail

Local weather

Carbon dioxide reaches file excessive Arctic Information

Contained in the CIA’s Many years-Lengthy Local weather “Spy” Marketing campaign 3 Quarks Every day

Syndemics

USDA Abstract Of Nevada’s H5N1 Genotype D1.1 Spillover Into Cattle Avian Flu Diary

Flu season within the US is probably the most intense it’s been in at the very least 15 years AP. We be taught nothing:

In @abcnews: in line with @CDCgov, flu is unfold primarily by tiny droplets made when individuals cough, sneeze, or discuss. They’ll land within the mouths or noses.

Not in @abcnews: flu can also be unfold by airborne particles that stay within the air and are breathed in.https://t.co/cngCHvYHqk https://t.co/R5rjkAXLhx

— LET’S AIR (@nousaerons) February 9, 2025

North Carolina tuberculosis instances rising for first time in a long time following one of many worst outbreaks in U.S. historical past Unbiased

China?

China faces uphill battle to spice up demand regardless of shopper value restoration in January South China Morning Publish. Commentary:

Nezha 2 simply turned the primary movie in historical past to gross $1 billion in a single market—China—in simply 11 days. It’s also the primary ever non-Hollywood film to attain the $1 billion mark.

Which signifies that a) China is now clearly in a position to produce blockbusters on par with Hollywood… pic.twitter.com/VG1yXN6Kh7

— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) February 9, 2025

‘What’s excessive tech about clothes?’ Life on the margins of China’s financial reboot FT

The US depends on China for key medicines. They received’t be spared from tariffs The Hill

India

Modi’s BJP wins large in high-stakes Delhi election BBC

Syraqistan

Israeli Sources Consider Netanyahu Intends to Derail Gaza Stop-fire as Delegation Heads to Doha Haaretz

Tips on how to Measure Famine London Assessment of Books. The deck: “Alex de Waal on the classification of disaster in Gaza.”

It’s time to transfer the UN and worldwide legislation out of the West Al Jazeera

European Disunion

Paris prosecutors open probe into Musk’s X over alleged algorithmic distortions France24

Financial system, migration, defence loom massive in German election: A turning level for Europe? France24

New Not-So-Chilly Warfare

As Ukraine struggles to subject troopers, recruitment facilities are attacked WaPo

Ukraine Inches Nearer to Remaining Name-Up Simplicius, Simplicius the Thinker

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Trump confirms name with Putin, says Russian chief needs Ukraine battle to finish: Report Anadolu Company

Sharp Turns and Continuity in Donald Trump’s Coverage Valdai Dialogue Membership

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Russia Assembles Flotilla of LNG Carriers in Arctic Waters Forward of EU Transshipment Ban gCaptain

America’s Financial Warfare Is Sowing Its Personal Demise International Coverage

Trump Administration

What has Donald Trump not carried out but? Listed here are some coverage areas the place he would possibly act subsequent AP. Be aware the lacunae:

Could be extraordinarily humorous if Steve Bannon turned the primary proper populist ever to do a left populist flip. https://t.co/0we9ZmDKSA

— Briahna Pleasure Grey (@briebriejoy) February 8, 2025

Spending invoice talks bathroom down after Trump’s efforts to slash authorities AP

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Trump directs Secret Service to provide him ‘each bit of data’ about his tried assassins: report FOX

Trump’s Government Order to Rename Debt and Deficits Stephanie Kelton, The Lens

Directive From New Inside Secretary Weakens Public Land Protections to Push Fossil Fuels Inside Local weather Information

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Russ Vought, tapped as CFPB’s performing director, directs bureau to challenge no new guidelines, cease new investigations FOX. Commentary:

I imagine this really reveals that Vought was outwitted. CFPB management drew what they wanted for all the fiscal 12 months earlier than he ever bought his palms on the company. https://t.co/lmG4fN8zfp

— David Dayen (@ddayen) February 9, 2025

Why Trump’s in-your-face marketing campaign won’t ever finish Axios. New spokeshole:

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says @DOGE is “one of the crucial vital audits of presidency” in his lifetime.

“These are extremely educated professionals. This isn’t some roving band going round doing issues. That is methodical and it’ll yield large financial savings.” pic.twitter.com/pBEvFEuJ8f

— Speedy Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 8, 2025

There’s no motive to imagine what Bessent is saying after the “entry” imbroglio, particularly since there’s no solution to independently test it (see under). As well as:

NEW: Authorities employee says 19-year-old DOGE staff are having 15 minute interviews with federal staff to “justify their existence” earlier than figuring out if they need to be fired.

Lmao, good.

An unnamed federal employee spoke out at a city corridor occasion in Virginia.

“I simply… pic.twitter.com/ZcEwsxEzcn

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 8, 2025

“Extremely educated”?

US welcomes ‘persecuted South African’ refugees: State Division Anadolu Company. Commentary:

The concept of Afrikaaners willingly leaving their estates and vacation houses the place they’ve cleaners and gardeners and get to relax by the seaside to go be cashiers at Walmart and reside in a shitty state residence within the US is definitely so humorous 😭 somebody must make a present

— Uppity African 🍉 (@naledimashishi) February 8, 2025

DOGE

Musk says Treasury, DOGE instituting reporting modifications to all authorities funds Politico:

The federal government funds will now have a ‘cost categorization code’ for auditing functions, he wrote in a submit on X, the social media website he owns.

Musk additionally mentioned funds should present a rationale in a remark subject, including they’re ‘not but making use of ANY judgment to this rationale’ however that every one funds will need to have one.

“But” is doing plenty of work, there, no? Basically, Elon needs the memo subject on authorities checks crammed out. There isn’t a motive for this, both for the code or the rationale, if you imagine (modulo instances of fraud) that every one that’s required to challenge a test is Congressional appropriation (i.e., a statute) or company approval, as has hitherto been the case. The plain motive for this architectural change to Treasury’s outputs is to bolt or kludge a second processor onto the present back-end of the funds system, which might function a filter. This second processor would take current outputs as enter, however the “reporting modifications” would allow the Government to filter for checks primarily based on the class or the rationale (or, for that matter, on the SSN; why not?), after which impound (not output) them. A much less apparent motive is for future integration into “the blockchain,” maybe “a nasty thought whose time has come.” And even much less apparent motive is to change the checks: If you wish to scale back Federal Spending by 20%, have the filter scale back the quantity of each test by 20%. Not the Pentagon, after all. Or the spooks.

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Musk’s DOGE Blocked From Treasury Information in State AGs Lawsuit Bloomberg

Contained in the ‘lawfare’ plot to sabotage DOGE Every day Mail

Elon Musk’s Demolition Crew ProPublica.

Can anybody cease Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of the US authorities? FT

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Trump Vs. Schooling Division: Musk’s DOGE Reportedly Utilizing AI To Look For Cuts—Right here’s What We Know Forbes

Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Anticipated to Look at One other Treasury System Subsequent Week ProPublica

Democrats en déshabillé

How Democrats misplaced the DEI battle Politico

Hakeem Jeffries met privately with Silicon Valley donors in bid to ‘mend fences.’ Politico

The Bezzle

US endowments be a part of crypto rush by constructing bitcoin portfolios FT

As One State Will get Nearer on a Crypto Reserve, Others Leap Into the Fray CoinDesk

Digital Watch

On the subject of AI ROI, IT decision-makers not satisfied The Register

Why AI Is A Philosophical Rupture Noema

Zeitgeist Watch

Ought to Individuals Be Fired for Social Media Posts? What JD Vance Will get Proper and Unsuitable. Zaid Jailani, The American Saga

Youngsters in New York hold dying whereas ‘subway browsing’ on prime of trains. Can they be stopped? AP

Arrests in luxurious house burglaries focusing on NFL, NBA gamers are the ‘tip of the iceberg’ AP

Realignment and Legitimacy

The doomed politics of MAGA Romantics Unherd. The deck: “Why do they hero-worship a huckster?”

Purple states create their very own DOGE efforts to chop state authorities Kansas Reflector

Class Warfare

Employees’ rights caught in collision of Trump’s priorities Axios

Excellent news:

On the American Chestnut, see NC right here.

Antidote du jour (Cody Pope):

See yesterday’s Hyperlinks and Antidote du Jour right here.