Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war — both real fog and stage fog — in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.
And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.
P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:
Modeling transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in China Nature. “We find that the level of immunity induced by the March 2022 vaccination campaign would be insufficient to prevent an Omicron wave that would result in exceeding critical care capacity with a projected intensive care unit peak demand of 15.6-times the existing capacity and causing approximately . However, we also estimate that protecting vulnerable individuals by ensuring accessibility to vaccines and antiviral therapies, and maintaining implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions could be sufficient to prevent overwhelming the healthcare system, suggesting that these factors should be points of emphasis in future mitigation policies.” Low vaccine uptake among the elderly is a key problem, but haven’t seen an explanation for this. Dominance of “traditional medicine,” a sacred cow, untouchable by the CCP? (There are a number of “tsunami” stories now; this article is the source.)
Coronavirus: Shanghai posts falling Covid-19 infections, symptomatic cases and death toll as city takes another tentative step towards recovery South China Morning Post
Shanghai re-tightens on COVID, frustrating trapped residents AP. “Escape from Shanghai is all but impossible, but that didn’t stop an unofficial how-to guide — detailing how to navigate lockdown controls and nab a seat on the few trains and planes leaving the city — from circulating widely on social media.” Because freedom?
China attacks ‘irresponsible’ WHO criticism of its zero-Covid policy FT. Tedros: “We don’t think [the zero-Covid strategy] is sustainable.” Not “sustainable” in what sense, and for whom? Are a million deaths in the United States, many post-Biden’s “Let ‘er rip” with more to surely come, “sustainable”?
Major China Developer Sunac Defaults as Debt Crisis Spreads Bloomberg
Myanmar
‘It’s certain that the military is losing ground’ (interview) Yee Mon, Myanmar Now. The rainy season has started, and the junta wasn’t able to destroy the NUG.
In Myanmar, a new ‘criminal’ State is rising. And China is paying to build it The Print
Morrison’s strategy a political masterstroke or moral failure Sydney Morning Herald
Syraqistan
IDF Sniper’s Cold-Blooded Murder of Palestinian-American Al Jazeera Journalist Tikun Olam. Witness:
This journalist was standing right next to Shireen Abu Akleh when she was killed.
Hear her account of what happened. pic.twitter.com/E3UvLWFUSA
— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 11, 2022
UK/EU
UK risks reputation if it breaches Northern Ireland protocol, warns May Guardian
Life After Loving a Met Police Spy Tribune
New Not-So-Cold War
Tucker Carlson on $40 billion to Ukraine:
Of Akron and Youngstown, represented by Tim Ryan (D): “Take a look at Akron sometime. It’s like a warzone itself. These are the cities that built America crumbling and desperate now from total neglect. But don’t you worry. Tim Ryan is totally committed to rebuildng Kiev.”
“Blue-and-yellow obsessions.” Patrick Lawrence, The Scrum
* * * Economic War and the Commodity Shock Phenomenal World
Zelensky Calls for Lifting the Russian Blockade of Odesa Maritime Executive
China’s independents find hard to resist temptation of discounted Russian crude Hellenic Shipping News
* * * Finland’s president and prime minister back Nato membership FT. From reader digi_owl:
So right now Finland’s prime minister and president released a joint statement in favor of Finland joining NATO. As in they favor it, but there is still no final statement from Finish parliament or anything like that.
Yet I see news outlet after outlet, and all over social media, with headlines claiming the application has already been submitted.
What The Flying F*ck Is Going On?!
It is as if the whole of western leadership has gotten collective dementia, and is hell bent on going down in glorious nuclear conflagration fighting those evil commie hordes like it is the 60s all over again.
Kherson’s military administrators to call for Russian annexation Guardian
* * * The Ukraine-South Korea comparison – a world-systemic perspective Events in Ukraine (PD). Weird flex, comparing rebuilding Ukraine to South Korea. More wistful thinking:
Carl Bildt, former Swedish PM, says next challenge is to build a liberal order within Ukraine, what he calls “Ukraine 2.0”.
— Izabella Kaminska (@izakaminska) May 11, 2022
US Envoy To Russia Visits Russian Foreign Ministry To Discuss Bilateral Issues: Report Republic World
Polls show Lula’s first rise this year in Brazil presidential race Reuters
Biden Administration
Biden hosts Southeast Asian leaders at the White House today. Here’s what to expect CNBC
Biden and Xi Struggle to Compete in Asia Foreign Policy
* * * Republican lawmakers push bill to dismantle new DHS disinformation board NBC. Now do the DHS.
Senators introduce legislation to create Space National Guard The Hill
The Bezzle
Tether breaks $1 peg as pressure mounts on world’s biggest stablecoin FT. A restaurant called “Mom’s”:
Number one rule of TrueAnon Crypto is if anything has words like stable or safe or moon or money or whatever in the title it is the precise opposite of that. Check out our episode on a very sketchy lil company you may have heard of
https://t.co/7RYNtLjAXP— TrueAnon (@TrueAnonPod) May 12, 2022
Luna price collapses below $5 as UST slides further from dollar peg The Block
Coinbase warns its 98 million customers they may lose ALL their crypto if company goes bankrupt after shares plunged 27% this week Daily Mail. From the Coinbase user User Agreement (dk):
New disclosure in today’s $COIN (Coinbase) 10-Q: 👀
“In the event of a bankruptcy…..customers could be treated as our general unsecured creditors.” 🚩🚩🚩
🚨Get your #Bitcoin off exchanges.🚨 pic.twitter.com/KDBiAvYcog
— Sophia Zaller (@sophiamzaller) May 10, 2022
Hodlers are “general unsecured creditors” in the case of bankruptcy (i.e., at the end of the line).
Supply Chain
Black Sea agribulk exports fall 35% in April due to Ukraine war Seatrade Maritime News
Drought threatens hopes French wheat could ease Ukraine shortfall FT
Rice exports dry up due to forex restrictions, rising prices Frontier Myanmar. In 2021, Myanmar was the world’s sixth producer (less than a tenth of China, but I don’t think food shortages of any kind are good right now).
Biden: Double Crop Because ‘We Can’t Take Any Chances’ AgWeb
* * * Toyota warns profit to skid 20% as raw materials costs pile up Reuters
Shortages
Whistleblower warned FDA about formula plant months before baby deaths Politico. Commentary:
So, the origin of the baby formula pocalypse was Abbott management’s refusal to repair dilapidated and failure-prone drying machines turning the plant into proverbial petri dishes for cronobacter, because…
They needed that $5.73 billion for stock buybacks, obvs pic.twitter.com/GBmn3n4SWn
— moe tkacik (@moetkacik) May 11, 2022
Electricity Shortage Warnings Grow Across U.S. WSJ
Supremes
Assessing the Claims in the Alito Draft Opinion Overturning Roe NYT
Obama and Liberals Killed Abortion Rights Black Agenda Report
Health Care
Hospital overwhelmed with kids in crisis being dropped at ER doors Star-Tribune
US Overdose Deaths Soared 15% to Top 100,000 Last Year, CDC Says Bloomberg. AIDS is now 13,000 a year. Drugs, 100,000 a year. Covid, 1,000,000 over two years. I’m sensing a pattern, and I don’t like imagining what the next item in the progression might be.
RussiaGate
A Respected Perkins Coie Lawyer Mixed National Security With Campaign Politics. Now He’s on Trial. National Law Journal. Sussman.
Imperial Collapse Watch
Too Fragile to Fight: Could the U.S. Military Withstand a War of Attrition? War on the Rocks
Class Warfare
The Smash-and-Grab Economy Mother Jones. From an issue devoted to private equity.
Column: Disney allegedly has cheated hundreds of writers out of pay for Star Wars and other properties Michael Hiltzik, LA Times
New York construction industry ‘flaggers’ allege rampant wage theft City and State
Antidote du jour (via):
Bonus antidote:
— DuaVeg (@GeraldaBolada) May 7, 2022
See yesterday’s Antidote du Jour and Links here.
