Musical interlude

Lastlings - Let You In

Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Thomas Neuberger (via Ian Welsh) discusses the imminent reality that insurers will refuse to cover massive swaths of property due to the climate crisis - even as the public money which could provide a social insurance alternative continues to be spent exacerbating the problem through fossil fuel subsidies. And Joan Westenberg notes that many people will own less assets to insure in the first place, as a default model of temporary access to everyday needs at extortionary prices replaces any expectation that people will have personal property of their own. 

- Jonathan Watts reports on a new analysis showing how 80% of all carbon pollution can be sourced to just a few dozen oil, gas, coal and cement producers. And Carl Meyer reports on new research showing how Canada's tar sands operators are lying to the public about "net-zero plans" which in fact serve as nothing but excuses for continued (or even increased) emissions. 

- Michael Harris examines how the right's general war on democracy is playing out in Canada. And David Moscrop is duly appalled that the concept of ensuring that hungry children have food to eat is being shot down by the Cons and their provincial cousins.  

- Finally, Samia Madwar asks whether work is inherently toxic - while also pointing out many of the factors which make it far more so than necessary. 

Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Rachel Fairbank discusses how a patient-led research collaborative is filling in the gaps in long COVID research and treatment. 

- Re.Climate examines (PDF) the state of Canadian public opinion on the climate crisis - which sadly features a stark and growing gap between recognition of the need for action, and support for meaningful policy. David Stanway reports on a new study showing that renewable energy deployment is lagging far behind what's needed to allow for a clean energy transition. Anand Ram and Benjamin Shingler report that Canada's wildfires more than counterbalanced any gains made in global tree cover in 2023. And Max Fawcett notes that the Cons' current excuse for a climate plan is an unfunny joke, while Doug Cuthand points out that the Saskatchewan Party and UCP are determined to make matters worse. 

- The Basic Income Earth Network and other signatories discuss how the security provided by a basic income is necessary to achieve climate justice. 

- Rupert Neate reports on new research showing that not a single one of the world's young billionaires obtained that status other than through gigantic inheritances. 

- Finally, David Climenhaga offers a warning about the UCP's plans to turn massive amounts of health care funding over to the cause of drug harm exacerbation. And Armine Yalnizyan points out that the Ford PCs are going out of their way to throw money at the same corporate care operators who caused mass illness and suffering at the start of the COVID pandemic. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Festive cat.

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Tinker Ready discusses how the decision to let COVID-19 spread unabated in the name of "business as usual" has lead to an entirely foreseeable spike in cases of long COVID. Accesswire notes that the carnage from COVID includes an increase in thyroid disorders. And new research from USC sheds some light on how delayed inflammation following infection can prove dangerous or even deadly, while Emma Partiot et al. study some of the molecular effects of COVID on the brain. 

- Brian Kateman argues that the ultimate effects of a climate breakdown are best depicted as involving massive suffering rather than a dead planet - though our experience with COVID should surely disabuse us of the notion that we'll be particularly motivated to avert that outcome. Steve Lorteau points out that the Canadian public is paying far more in subsidies to fossil fuel companies than in carbon taxes. And Natasha Bulowski looks at new polling confirming that the Canadian public is well aware of the need for a just transition to a clean economy - even as we're presented with a relentless stream of propaganda from petropoliticians and media outlets alike in the service of continued carbon pollution. 

- Liam O'Connor reports on Eric Cline's call for Saskatchewan to work on getting fair value for its potash, rather than windfall profits for multinational mining conglomerates as the highest and best use of natural resources. (And it's particularly remarkable to see even Jack Mintz recognize that corporate operators are set to take more than their fair share of the returns.) 

- Finally, John Hall's analysis of the false choice between corporatist parties in the UK has plenty of application to Canada's political scene as well. 

Monday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Aaron Wherry discusses the deadly-serious consequences of climate denialism which is driven by frivolous rhetoric. And Andre Mayer points out the numerous ways in which the climate breakdown is actually responsible for the increased cost of living which is being used as an excuse to stall what little action has been planned to try to combat change. 

- Sachi Mulkey reports on new research showing that methane from landfills represents just one more area in which we're spewing more carbon pollution than previously documented (or taken into account in climate change plans). And Ben Webster reports on a carbon capture project which ExxonMobil isn't bothering to complete after trumpeting it as an excuse for fossil fuel expansion.  

- Hugo Daniel reports on the misinformation and denialism from a major asbestos supplier which has continued to pollute information flows long after the dangers of asbestos use were widely known. And Maureen Tkacik discusses how Boeing purged its organization of people who knew how to build safe airplanes in order to maximize short-term profits. 

- Candice Odgers reviews Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation - and in the process points out that anybody genuinely concerned about children's well-being should be working primarily on alleviating real-world stressors, rather than focusing solely and conveniently on social media. And Emine Saner discusses how Estonia's focus on fostering a supportive environment for children and teachers alike has resulted in better educational performance. 

- Finally, Katya Schwenk reports on how large corporates are funneling dark money into buying extreme firepower for police forces - making them both more likely to pursue extreme violence, and biased to direct it against people without the same level of wealth or power. And Doug Cuthand highlights how prisons have replaced residential schools as the main institution used to impose control on Indigenous people.