Saturday, October 29, 2022

Saturday Morning Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- Lara Herrero discusses how infection with COVID-19 can leave people more vulnerable to all kinds of other diseases. And the Canadian Press reports on the rise of two new subvariants in Ontario (and elsewhere) while public health officials beg for the return of at least basic precautionary measures.

- Mitchell Beer writes about the inflection point in an energy transition: there's no longer a prospect of fossil fuels being a viable long-term energy source compared to cheaper and cleaner renewable alternatives, but not enough being done to limit their continued harm to the climate in the short to medium term. And Sofia Quaglia reports on new research showing that extreme heat resulting from climate change has inflicted tens of trillions of dollars in damage, largely on countries who haven't been responsible for much of the carbon pollution that's caused it.

- Steven Greenhouse comments on the absurdity of blaming inflation caused by concentrated corporate power on the few leaders willing to occasionally question it. And Brian Sullivan points out that New York's lack of housing is being exacerbated by landlords choosing to keep homes empty rather than making them available at affordable rates. 

- Meanwhile, Noam Scheiber writes that Starbucks' cynical fight to avoid collective bargaining is being seized on by other employers to tell their employees that collective action is futile.

- Finally, Judy Trinh reports on the latest revelations as to how police bias in favour of violent white supremacists led to their failing to protect the public from the #FluTruxKlan. And Shachi Kurl discusses how telling it is that the Saskatchewan Party is willing to celebrate a good ol' boy best known for domestic abuse and the murder of his wif.

Friday, October 28, 2022

Musical interlude

PVRIS - Animal


Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- The Star Phoenix reports on Saskatchewan's latest COVID-19 data showing 26 more deaths in just the last two weeks along with a rising positivity rate, while CBC News reports on Ontario's alarming numbers of deaths and hospitalizations. Wency Leung discusses the risks we're facing based on the combination of another COVID wave and a potentially severe flu season. And Meghan Grant reports on the Alberta court decision determining that decisions about mitigation measures were improperly made by politicians rather than public health officials. 

- Meanwhile, Laura Sciarpelletti reports on the increasing lack of access to emergency services in Saskatchewan. 

- Ishaan Tharoor writes that the real-world effects of an ongoing climate breakdown are far worse than the few headlines which manage to attract attention. And Kate Aronoff highlights the gas industry's attempt to claim victimization as it extracts windfall profits while continuing to pollute our atmosphere with no regard for the well-being of humanity. 

- Finally, Shannon Bond discusses the possibility of limiting the effect of misinformation by encouraging people to think critically. But Linda McQuaig points out that the right-wing extremists pushing conspiracy theories and violent obstruction have all too often found sympathetic ears among government and law enforcement authorities. 

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Sara Mojtehedzadeh reports on the lives lost to COVID-19 in Ontario workplaces and the deliberate choice by employers and governments to enable that outcome. And Carly Weeks reports that children's hospitals are having to brace for yet another wave of respiratory illnesses while all public health measures have been eliminated. 

- David Wallace-Wells writes about both the implausibility of avoiding catastrophic climate change, and the possibility of a transition to what's on the other side. 

- Padraig Moran reports on the record grocery profits being taken by a corporate oligopoly which is pretending not to be responsible for soaring food prices. And Sharif Hassan reports on the increasing number of people relying on food banks to fill in the gap in their ability to pay for the essentials of life. 

- Gordon Cleveland examines the progress Canada is making toward a national system of early learning and child care, while noting the need to ensure additional funding and support goes to workers.

- Finally, Simon Enoch offers his take on Scott Moe's preposterous excuse for a position on federalism. But if anybody thought there was a line of absurdity or sociopathy that Moe and his government wouldn't cross...it's time to think again

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Erik Swain discusses new research showing that even "mild" cases of COVID-19 produce massively increased risks of death from cardiovascular issues. And Charlie McCone questions why people being told to assess their own risk aren't being informed of the well-documented dangers of long COVID. 

- Fiona Harvey reports on the United Nations' recognition that the current emission reduction policies announced by governments fall far short of meeting the global goal of averting catastrophic climate change. 

- The Globe and Mail's editorial board points out the flawed math behind Scott Moe's temper tantrum masquerading as a governing agenda. And Howard Anglin notes that the white paper intended to declare a push toward nationhood is written at a level that would be unacceptable for schoolchildren.  

- Finally, Alex Boutilier reports on the Ontario Provincial Police's assessment that the #FluTruxKlan was leveraged by foreign actors to serve their own agendas. And Luke LeBrun points out that Ottawa's police facilitated that effort by minimizing the destructiveness of the occupation and siding with convoy cultists (and their propagandists) over the interests of the public. 

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Contained cats.






Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Hussein Kadhem Al-Hakeim et al. examine the relationship between oxygen deprivation and severe long COVID symptoms. Crawford Kilian makes the case for an inquiry to show where our pandemic response has gone wrong, while recognizing that the people responsible for those very decisions won't be eager to see their actions put under the microscope. And CBC News reports on the reality that the pandemic remains an ongoing nightmare for health care workers even as far too many others try to deny its continuing existence. 

- Alec Salloum reports on the justified frustrations of those working to help homeless people in Regina and encountering a mix of neglect and outright hostility from the governments who should be taking responsibility for people's safety and well-being. And CBC News reports on the similar choices made in Toronto (which don't figure to change any in light of an austerian mayor winning re-election). 

- Mark Schapiro highlights the financial interests pushing for continued climate degradation, while noting most people have far more to gain from a transition to a sustainable economic model. Simon Evans writes about a new study from the International Institute for Sustainable Development concluding that new fossil fuel development is entirely incompatible with our meeting existing climate targets. 

- Peter Schadt and Hans Zobel interview Hans-Jurgen Urban about the options to make sure workers don't pay the price for an energy crisis based on continued fossil fuel dependence. 

- Finally, AFP reports on new Greenpeace research into the gross failure of plastic recycling in the U.S., which is seeing only 5% of plastic waste (and falling) actually being repurposed.