Dear patient readers,
Apologies for no Iran war post, but things on that front are a wee bit quiet. So you got some extra Links.
60,000-year-old ostrich eggshell engravings reveal a surprisingly sophisticated human mind Science Daily (Kevin W)
Why Europe Loved Arcades Architecture and Tradition (Micael T)
Why didn’t medieval artists know what a baby looks like? Sacred Images Project (Micael T)
How To Study Philosophy (Without Stepping Foot in a University) Beauty Matters (Micael T)
Obfuscatory Philosophy as Intellectual Authoritarianism and Cowardice Eric Schwitzgebel (Micael T)
Believe it or not @LEGO_Group already IS using additive and quite substantially. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting their VP of additive engineering and hearing him speak on the very subject. There is WAY more going into their evaluation of the technology than most think and FDM… https://t.co/6ROBA8gUQd
— Pooch (@repkord) August 5, 2026
Climate/Environment
🚨 NEW NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TEMPERATURE RECORD 🚨
On August 1, the Northern Hemisphere reached an average temperature of 22.742°C — the highest daily mean temperature in the entire ERA5 record dating back to 1940. The previous record was 22.723°C also set on August 1, in… pic.twitter.com/UB5cfRmxNH
— The Global Warmer🔥 (@TheGlobalWarmer) August 7, 2026
🌡️📈📉Denver just pulled off one of the wildest weather whiplashes imaginable:
102°F record high Monday → 47°F record low Wednesday → back up to 96 or 97°F later this afternoon.
That 47°F low was Denver’s first daily record low in 532 days, dating all the way back to February… https://t.co/D7rxDbbi7r
— The Global Warmer🔥 (@TheGlobalWarmer) August 6, 2026
Europe’s wildfires have raised the danger posed by unexploded WWII bombs The Conversation
Hoover Dam Is Losing Power as the Colorado River Crisis Deepens Popular Mechanics (resilc). Also I believe has been an issue some of the time in Uruguay, which gets pretty much all its electricity from hydro.
Siberian methane emissions have doubled in a decade, study co-led by UK scientists finds EurekAlert
China?
India-China thaw is a supply-chain truce, not a strategic reset Asia Times (Kevin W)
US slams Chinese ‘nature reserve’ as effort to claim South China Sea Aljazeera
Taiwan Plans Record Defense Budget to Counter China, Report Says Bloomberg
Taiwan decries China over Japan patrol tailing Taipei Times
Koreas
North Korea turning DMZ frontier into ‘nuclear-armed border,’ report says UPI
Southeast Asia
China completes first full test of canal link to Southeast Asia ahead of September launch South China Morning Post
Vietnam starts building largest homemade anti-submarine warship Channel News Asia
Royal Thai Army Hits Back at Cambodian Allegations Nation Thailand
Africa
Counter-revolution in Egypt with Hossan el-Hamalawy Counterpunch (Robin K)
Libyan Energy Infrastructure Faces Renewed Security Threats Global Arab Networh
Eritrea’s Regime Military Adventurism Risks Dragging Horn of Africa Back into Conflict ENA
Sudan clashes drive more than 5,000 people into displacement YeniSafak
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hit back at Nigeria’s president after he blames them for Nigeria’s worsening security crisis Business Insider Africa
South of the Border
Cuba regime overthrow would turn out like Iran, Trump warned Telegraph
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Hosts Chief Rabbi to Discuss Diplomatic Normalization with Israel Venezuelanalysis (Robin K)
Colombia president says 6 armed rebels killed in clashes Daily Star
European Disunion
Can Europe stay united in China trade battle? Ceuta migrant crisis offers a warning South China Morning Post
The EU’s Incredible Shrinking Banking Sector Khabarhub
Germany’s Road to War Against Russia Multipolar Press (Micael T)
Germany widens deportations to Afghanistan DW
In Bayern gibt es wohl 75 % Ernteausfälle. In BW sind es wohl auch fas 50 % weniger. Im nördlichen Westdeutschland wohl 30 % weniger.
Nur in Ostdeutschland sind es vielleicht nur 10 % weniger.In der Schweiz und in Österreich gibt es bereits Notschlachtungen von Kühen, weil… pic.twitter.com/f3bYnBdByn
— Michael Feise (@FeiseMichael) August 6, 2026
Dutch sugar beet harvest threatened by drought and extreme heat NLTimes
Old Blighty
The night Belfast burned: how the Northern Ireland race riots unfolded Guardian
More than two-thirds of England now in drought with conditions set to worsen BBC
Israel v. The Resistance
Israel’s siege cripples transport system in Gaza, cuts off food and medicine, pushing residents back toward famine Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor (guurst)
Israel is expanding the extermination zone and shrinking the concentration camp in Gaza, again. https://t.co/sB8hefFbMq
— Zo Brown (@receipts_lol) August 10, 2026
IDF terrorists filmed and posted themselves destroying Palestinian businesses.
They are the Jewish ISIS. pic.twitter.com/K09MrYCoue
— Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) August 10, 2026
The Impunity Machine Columbia Journalism Review
Why the Mecca Agreement is a necessary show of force Middle East Eye
Iran War
The Iran press has been keeping attention on this issue:
You might not believe it, but everyday for the last 163 days, a team is still searching for the body parts of the schoolchildren from the elementary school in Minab which the US bombed, killing 168 underage children.
The remains of one child, Makan, are still missing… pic.twitter.com/erQOJHPwRi
— Arya Yadegaar (@AryJeayBackup) August 10, 2026
Trump claims total control of Hormuz as he demands Iran pay for US soldiers’ deaths Independent. The corresponding Bloomberg headline, Trump Hardens Stance on Iran, Clouding Hopes for Hormuz Deal, charitably depicts hopes for a “deal” as well founded.
US military doubles down on Iran blockade as Trump signals pivot to economic pressure FirstPost
Why the Trump administration will have to accept a Hormuz toll Responsible Statecraft (resilc)
Iran’s supreme leader tightens grip with top appointments Financial Times
Kuwait caught in the crossfire: How the Iran War is Engulfing the Middle East Modern Diplomacy
Iran Moves to Ratify Caspian Sea Agreement Amid Tensions Times of Central Asia
* * * Mutually Assured Destruction Stays Trump’s Hand. The Bond Market Will End The Stalemate Fountainbridge. We said from the get-go that Mr. Market was one of the few things that could bring Trump to heel.
Syraqistan
15 terrorists killed in Pakistan’s latest Balochistan security sweep Azer News
Syria was finding a little stability. Then more Israeli troops arrived The Times
New Not-So-Cold War
Russian Arena-M Active Protection System Finally Comes of Age on the Battlefield Simplicius
Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria as drone explodes near pipeline, Kyiv promises inquiry Euronews
Ukraine’s “Turning the Tide” Narrative has Already Sunk Ian Proud
Stanislav Krapivnik: Russia’s Ukraine Strategy & Preparations for War with Europe Glenn Diesen, YouTube
Brief Frontline Report – August 9th, 2026 Marat Khairullin and Mikhail Popov
Russophobia versus Deception Ola Tunander (Micael T)
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
Work boots and Subarus’: Local officials say the backlash against Flock cameras is becoming bipartisan Politico (Kevin W)
The Mystery of Online Prices: How Personal Data and Privacy Change What You Pay for Groceries Mozilla Foundation (resilc)
Imperial Collapse Watch
Somali pirates are back Unherd
The Christian Nationalist Plan for America Has a Fatal Flaw WA Lawrence
America Is Atomizing New York Times. resilc: “As it vaporises the world.”
Pentagon Drafting New Nuclear Strategy To Expand Options for Tactical Nuclear Weapons Use Antiwar.com (resilc). Previously reported via Scott Ritter but important not to miss.
Trump 2.0
DOGE said it saved $1.7 billion by terminating a military health IT contract. GAO found the contract was never terminated. Military Times (Kevin W)
Trump’s Second-Term Reshaping of U.S. Critical Minerals Policy: Motivations, Progress, and Impacts China Affairs+
Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups’ guidance Associated Press
Birthright Citizenship, Redux Steve Vladeck
Immigration
ICE is sitting on $100 billion Steve Semler
How the United States Government Is Abusing Its Immigration Powers to Amass DNA for Future Policing 2026 Raiding the Genome Update
Democrats promise stricter oversight of immigration detention company if they win majority Gothamist
Economy
Diesel prices surge on tightening global supply Reuters (resilc)
Global food prices at three-year high as heatwaves and wars push up crop costs Guardian
Airlines Scramble for Jet Fuel as Hormuz Disruption Drags On OilPrice. Will Gulf carriers be advantaged? Can they carry enough fuel to make round trips?
War Brings Winter of Discontent for the World’s Workhorse Fuel Bloomberg
Mr. Market Should Be More Worried
Why fears of a Japanese implosion have the world on edge Sydney Morning Herald
Behind the AI stock market bubble lies a weak yen South China Morning Post
AI
Don’t you dare come between Chinese women and our virtual boyfriends South China Morning Post
What Was the Internet? Boston Review (Micael T)
Data-center reality check could slam brakes on US AI earnings boom Jakarta Post
Waymo Is Growing Faster Than Ever. So Are Its Glitches. New York Times
The Rise of the 1 am Job Interview Wired (resilc)
The Bezzle
Senate leaves town without voting on crypto bill, dimming its chances of passing The Hill
Private Credit Squeezed By Bank Refinancings Bloomberg
Guillotine Watch
Mark Zuckerberg Posts Deranged 6,500-Word Essay About Giving Everyone AI Superintelligence 404 Media
Class Warfare
Memo to Those Who Fear Socialism: Why Don’t You Try Fix Capitalism? New Republic (resilc)
The Golden Billion and the New Malthusian Order MultiPolar Press (Micael T)
America’s Crisis of Historical Consciousness William Murphy (Micael T)
Antidote du jour (via):
And a bonus:
The ducks were struggling in nearly 40°C heat… until one girl came up with the perfect idea. pic.twitter.com/kgNzON1ddI
— The Figen (@TheFigen_) August 9, 2026
A second bonus:
Majestic King.. 🦁 pic.twitter.com/Z5dNHE02UW
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) August 6, 2026
And a third:
A sea lion in Argentina climbed onto a fishing vessel, found a bed, and passed out.
The fishermen only realized it when they heard loud snoring. pic.twitter.com/h9nfsMb4Nk
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 9, 2026
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
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