Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- David Sirota writes that the sources of America's descent into authoritarianism can be traced readily to the longstanding trend toward the consolidation of wealth and power. And Luke Savage discusses how elite "liberals" have facilitated rise of fascism both by reinforcing its themes of fear and dominance, and by failing to improve the well-being of the general public when in power. 

- Michael Mann discuss how weaponized disinformation aimed at attacking science represents a threat to humanity as a whole. And the Economist speculates that the decline of reading may be an important factor in the dumbing-down of politics. 

- John Woodside reports on the Carney Libs' push toward nation-building in batches based on political convenience and immediacy rather than any long-term vision for development. And Kenza Bryan reports on Greg Jackson's warning that the UK's plans to pour money into carbon capture and storage are ill-advised, while Lisa Schick reports that Saskatchewan scientists are pushing back against Scott Moe's determination to use public money to spew as mnuch coal pollution as possible. 

- Mark Lemley writes that a toothless order against Google even after a finding of an abuse of monopoly power confirms that competition law alone won't be sufficient to deal with the power of big tech. And Kelsey McKinney argues that any legal settlement which allows an AI company to steal first and turn over an amount it doesn't care about later falls far short of the mark. 

- Finally, Marc Trussler and Stephanie Perry report on polling showing massive gender and partisan gaps in Generation Z life priorities. And Erika Shaker discusses how "parental rights" spin represents a contrived effort to children as property and schools as profit centres. 

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Elizabeth Yuko reports on the Biden administration's creation of an office to address long COVID, while Joe Middleton reports on the soaring number of Britons excluded from economic and social participation due to the disease. And Erin Prater reports on new CDC research finding large numbers of rare pediatric health problems caused by COVID-19. 

- Jacelyn Wingerter discusses her chaotic experience as a newly-employed nurse in a collapsed Saskatchewan health care system. And Madeline Smith reports that Edmonton is the latest home of systematized hallway medicine as emergency rooms struggle to cope with their case loads.  

- Paul Sinclair writes that nobody can afford continued delay in working to avert a climate breakdown. Damian Carrington examines how the global warming already locked in is exacerbating the effects of extreme weather. And David Gelles reports on the Republican climate destruction zealots who are not only refusing to take any action to rein in climate change, but setting out to punish anybody who tries. 

- Jason Warick follows up on the growing list of students reporting abuse at the private schools which have been promoted and funded by the Saskatchewan Party, even as the government provides its tacit approval by refusing to lift a finger to protect students unless a police investigation results in criminal charges. 

- Finally, Nathan Robinson reviews Luke Savage's The Dead Center as making a compelling case against establishment liberalism which couples a professed commitment to positive social change with a determination to put barriers in its way. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Peter Singer reminds us of the one-time-opposition to mandatory seat belts to make the case to apply a similar principle to vaccinations, while Lorenda Reddekopp discusses the growing public groundswell for vaccine passports. James Keller reports on the UCP's decision to turn COVID testing into a matter of pay-for-play access - with the side effects of enriching a Jack Mintz-affiliated business, and undermining Alberta's information as to the spread of COVID-19. 

- Anne Helen Petersen discusses how the Delta variant may have arrived at just the wrong time - though it certainly hasn't helped matters to have anti-social politicians downplaying the pandemic and looking for excuses to do as little as possible from day one. And Pam Belluck discusses the damage long COVID is doing to children who have been deliberately left unprotected. 

- Fiona Harvey reports on today's release of the latest assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - confirming both the urgency to act to avert climate breakdown, and the utter failure of our current leaders to do anything of the sort. But Anna North offers some hope that it's not too late to fight climate change if we work within our communities rather than despairing over how little we can do individually. 

- Finally, Rich Penney discusses how the label of a "liberal" (in both small- and large-L terms) refers more to the defense of an unequal and unsustainable status quo than any progress from it.  

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Laura Spinney writes about the debate as to whether to eliminate COVID-19 or control its continued spread. And Carl Zimmer reports on the Brazilian variant which represents just the latest new mutation which may complicate any attempt to barge ahead with business as usual in the face of the coronavirus.

- Tzeporah Berman and Nathan Taft point out the deception behind the oil industry's attempt to pitch a misleading "net zero" emissions target as an excuse to keep spewing carbon pollution now (and to encourage end users to keep doing so for decades to come), while Naveena Sadasivam discusses the massive cleanup costs fossil fuel barons are foisting on the public. And Simon Lewis warns against being fooled by businesses trying to turn accounting tricks into carbon credits they can sell.

- Rahi Abouk, Keshar Ghimire, Johanna Catherine Maclean and David Powell study how marijuana legalization affects workers' compensation claims - concluding that it actually leads to a reduction by offering another form of pain management. And Zak Vescera reports on the need for improved access to naloxone to reduce the damage from opioid overdoses.

- Finally, Molly Scot Cato writes about the positives of taxes in reducing inequality, creating positive behavioural incentives and funding the services we need. Which makes for an important contrast against Stephanie Mudge's observations about Third Way liberalism which made democratic decision-making subordinate to the interests of capital.