Musical interlude

Flight Facilities - Planet Claire

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Lauren Sommer discusses how 2024 is shattering all records and expectations as the hottest year in the recorded history of the Earth. Freddy Brewster, Helen Santoro and Katya Schwenk discuss how the vast majority of anticipated flood damage to U.S. homes is now uninsured - as insurers recognize the dangers of a climate catastrophe with far more clarity than homeowners (particularly in Republican-dominated areas). Ted Hsuan Yun Chen at al. find that the actual occurrence of an extreme weather event tends to overcome the partisan tendency toward denialism. And R Eric Lewandowski et al. examine the factors (including direct exposure to extreme events) which affect distress and anxiety in young people. 

- Andrew Nikiforuk reports on Danielle Smith's latest attempt to restart the extraction of dirty coal in Alberta. And the Star's editorial board calls out Doug Ford for subsidizing even more traffic and sprawl (and eliminating transportation alternatives) as a supposed solution to existing traffic problems. 

- Marcy Wheeler writes about the importance of an assault on truth to Donald Trump's authoritarian project. And Jeb Lund writes about the importance of community-building to resist the abuses of the next Trump regime. 

- Simon Jager, Suresh Naidu and Benjamin Schoefer study the consistent pattern of collective bargaining reducing wage inequality for everybody - even as the exact causal mechanisms remain to be confirmed. And Anne Baldwin discusses why she and other Canada Post workers are angry and demoralized by the Libs' decision to order them back to work rather than allowing them to exercise their right to strike. 

- Finally, Mariana Mazzucato is rightly skeptical of the UK's model of public-private partnerships which serves to funnel profits to the private sector and risks to the public - while noting that any productive collaboration would include requirements to ensure investment produces a range of social benefits. 

Musical interlude

Florrie - Kissing In The Cold

Monday Morning Links

Assorted content to start your week.

- Marc Elias explores what it means to worry that "we're on our own" in the face of a fascist government and crumbling institutions - while noting that one of the most important tasks in building resistance is to ensure people don't give up the fight for democracy and solidarity. Brian Beutler makes the case to work on pro-social activity - particularly in contrast to engaging with the social media outlets which have been turned into propaganda mills by techbros. And Josh Marshall rightly notes that there's a massive opportunity to tap into existing public sentiment in opposing government by billionaires for billionaires. 

- A.R. Moxon writes that an economic system built on the principle of unconstrained growth and ruthless efficiency in extracting wealth regardless of the cost to human life can hardly expected to do anything but grind through the population without any compunction. Angel Munarriz writes about the "nationalist international" seeking to impose discriminatory authoritarianism on a country-by-country basis. David Howarth implores UK Labour to limit plutocratic domination of media and politics before it's too late. And Dale Smith warns about the need to beware of Pierre Poilievre's own plan to turn public policy over to the broligarchy. 

- Jon Ungoed-Thomas reports on the multinationals who are exercising discretion to let the value of UK  employees' pensions erode even while raking in massive profits. And David Climenhaga notes that  the UCP is looking to dismiss a readily-foreseeable report from the chief actuary of Canada saying that Alberta can't steal over half of the value of the Canada Pension Plan to funnel into dirty energy. 

- Jim Stanford writes about the high cost of not striking - as the failure of workers to stand up for each other produces a far worse outcome for the entire working class. And Adam King points out the Trudeau Libs' contempt for collective action - with its squelching of the Canada Post strike representing just the latest of many choices to prioritize management control over the interest of workers and the public. 

- Ashley Wan-Tzu Lo and Suman Kumar Mitra study the effect of urban design, and find that denser and more accessible environments improve mobility and social activity. And Ron Johnson discusses new research showing how biking to work is associated with a bevy of health benefits (including lower cancer rates). But Trevor Potts discusses how Doug Ford is determined to pour public money into highways while deliberately destroying bike and pedestrian infrastructure. 

- Finally, Paul Krugman writes about the U.S.' choice to cultivate gambling and other addictions in order to create profit centers at the expense of far greater social harms.