“The icon of icons”: Remembering civil rights hero, Congressman John Lewis Atlanta Magazine
Remembering Nelson Mandela, Who Honoured the Power of Reconciliation The Wire. Oddly, the author appears not to know that the quote he cites when Mandela left Robben Island is the same he made at the end of his three hour statement of his trial.
This Microscopic Time-Lapse of Chemicals Crystalizing is Hypnotic PetaPixel (David L)
#COVID-10
Science/Medicine
Scientists identify six different types of coronavirus with increasing severity levels Telegraph
T-cells: the missing link in coronavirus immunity? Financial Times (David L). Already a topic in comments.
Free saliva-based COVID-19 tests begin at University of Illinois, but school won’t say if students are required to take them Chicago Tribune. ma: “So let me see if I have this straight–South Korea, the U of I, even a micro-brewery in Newfoundland, Canada, can figure out how to rapidly and accurately test people, but the USofA cannot….ok then.”
UK/Europe
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson sets out plan for ‘significant normality’ by Christmas BBC (Kevin W). Translation: Johnson believes in Santa Claus. But he’s such a narcissist that he’s unable to see that he’s on track to get a lump of coal in his stocking.
US
A Detailed Map of Who Is Wearing Masks in the U.S. New York Times (David L)
Social Distancing and the Rise of COVID-19 Top Data
Florida schools mandated to reopen in August Tallahassee Democrat
Brace yourself for the latest COVID-19 predictions. You’re not going to like them DailyKos (furzy)
‘Overwhelmed and Terrified’: Las Vegas’ Reopening Backfires Terribly Daily Beast
Political Responses
Senate GOP proposing five-year shield from coronavirus lawsuits The Hill
Finance/Economy
If You Want to See How Bad Things Can Get, Roll Back the Unemployment Assistance Esquire
PPP scam: Texas man spends nearly $1 million on cryptocurrency Fortune
Explosion of violence dooms Mexican leader’s bid to calm cartels Financial Times (David L)
China?
US interest in 5G isn’t really about 5G Asia Times (Kevin W)
India
Modi government boasts of a trade surplus – even though it is actually terrible news for the economy Scroll (J-LS)
Brexit
Brexit: Concerns for European Union over Irish Protocol RTE. PlutoniumKun: “Now here is more than you ever wanted to know on the difficulties of managing VAT after Brexit. Looks like there is lots of technical work going on, but everything is behind schedule.”
Nigeria’s Zamfara state offers repentant bandits cows for AK-47s BBC (resilc)
New Cold War
“Putin Hacked Our Coronavirus Vaccine” Is The Dumbest Story Yet Caitlin Johnstone (Kevin W)
Russian cyberterrorist stuck on six month wait list to hack into VA Duffle Blog (Kevin W)
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
A New Map Shows the Inescapable Creep of Surveillance JTM
Former ICANN CEO is now co-CEO of the private equity firm that tried to buy .org DomainWirePaul R: “Lol. HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23878508.”
Imperial Collapse Watch
“Dutch accountant discovered that leaders of Mayday Rescue, the foundation behind the White Helmets, used money intended for rescue for their own bonuses instead. James Le Mesurier, the founder, died in an apparent suicide days after this discovery” https://t.co/Tt0RjWLyLI
— Tim Hayward (@Tim_Hayward_) July 17, 2020
‘Give Me Freedom or Give Me Death’: 13 Years Without Trial at Guantanamo, My Hunger Strike Is All I Have Left and Listen to the Brave Hunger Strikers in ICE Detention Common Dreams (ma)
Trump Transition
National Association of Police Organizations endorses Trump The Hill
Artists install anti-Trump living statues around DC The Hill (resilc)
Interview with John Bolton Der Spiegel (Futility)
Congressional Democrats Demand White House Restore Hospital Data Collection to CDC NPR (David L)
Justice Ginsburg says cancer has returned, but won’t retire Associated Press (David L)
2020
New Lawsuit Argues That Alaska Officials May Not Mail Absentee Ballot Applications Only to Older Voters. Equal Citizens. Complaint here.
Why Jane Curtis is still fighting for justice at 102 Christian Science Monitor (resilc)
Black Injustice Tipping Point
Pentagon effectively bans Confederate flags on all military property Politico (Kevin C)
Police State Watch
Who are these people? What agency do they work for? Who gives them orders? What are their use of force guidelines? What is their jurisdiction in Portland?
This lack of accountability is UNACCEPTABLE from federal authorities.
We don’t have secret police in the United States. https://t.co/gHMJadt7BH
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 17, 2020
As unmarked feds snatch protesters off the streets in Portland, memo leaked to me shows they’ll be deployed indefinitely and in undisclosed locations, with drones “on standby to assist as needed”:https://t.co/dIrNSlbM6B pic.twitter.com/LR4COtuvGs
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 17, 2020
Federal agents arrest Portland protesters in unmarked cars, sparking intense backlash Washington Post (furzy)
Mayor of Portland to Trump: Get your troops out of the city Associated Press
Federal Agents Unleash Militarized Force Crackdown on Portland New York Times (Glenn F)
Anyone mapping out the various paramilitary & special ops units operating in late-oligarchy USA?
“arrests involving officers from a Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC)—CBP’s equivalent of a SWAT team—as well as the US Marshals Special Operations Group”https://t.co/e6GIbqyfl1— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) July 17, 2020
The Authoritarian Operation in Portland Is Only a Dress Rehearsal Esquire (David L)
What the Heck Are Federal Law Enforcement Officers Doing in Portland? Lawfare (David L)
A fox in Arlington keeps stealing copies of the Washington Post https://t.co/TY4oUfSgei pic.twitter.com/6hrIObehD6
— Andrew Beaujon (@abeaujon) July 17, 2020
32 Million People on State & Federal Unemployment, 2nd Highest Ever: Week 17 of U.S. Labor Market Collapse Wolf Street
Greatest Increase Ever in U.S. Wages Is Actually Horrible News Bloomberg
As pensions sink, CalPERS gets risky Press-Telegram (Kevin W)
New CalSTRS plan aims to reduce costs, bring more management in-house Pensions & Investments
UBS Predicts College Shakeout With Weak Schools Doomed to Fail Bloomberg. Not a hard call.
American Airlines CEO: ‘Let’s go fly, for God’s sake’ MarketWatch (Kevin W). Cabin fever. People want to go on vacation or visit relatives.
Class Warfare
Help Melk Take Time Off to Recover from Dental Surgery – Donate Today! Payday Report. This appeal, to cover $300 in dental expenses, says so much about what is wrong with America.
Notes on Nationalism George Orwell (UserFriendly)
Antidote du jour (CV):
And a bonus (YJT):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
