Posts that I especially recommend for Friday, November12, 2021

• Key articles on origins of Covid-19, gain-of-function research and biolabs by Shannon Murray from U.S. Right to Know. 

• Letter to a Colluder: Stop Enabling Tyranny by Margaret Anna Alice from Off-Guardian.
  

• Aaron Rodgers & NBA stars have views on COVID19 vaccination: But the real question is: why does the media cover these stories breathlessly? And what aren't they covering instead? by Vinay Prasad, MD and MPH, from his weblog on Substack. My reaction to the last two questions: Because the ruling class controls media corporations (like all other institutions) are worried about, and prevent, such debates ever happening.

• Mainstream Economists Reject Economic Science by Shawgi Tell from Dissident Voice.

There is a growing need for a real alternative to existing arrangements. The current situation is untenable at all levels. More and more people are rejecting the rich and their cartel political parties and demanding real solutions to the problems confronting the economy and society. Acting in the old way simply won’t work and doesn’t work anymore. People are disgusted with irresponsible and unaccountable leaders who can’t solve any problems. People are also tired of being reduced to vote banks for the parties of the rich. Constantly begging politicians to do the most basic simple things is humiliating, exhausting, and a massive drain on social energy that could be harnessed to expedite human-centered arrangements.

• Class Warfare and Socialist Resistance: Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela as Existential Threats to the US by Ajamu Baraka from Dissident Voice.
  

Why do Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela pose such an existential threat to the U.S.? Why are they able to unite all the wings of the democrat party and the republican party against them? It boils down to two factors. First, the power of their example in attempting to build independent, self-determining projects that center the material needs and interests of the people over those of capital. Second, the class warfare politics of the U.S. state.

• The nature of neoliberalism and its consequences. This post features Chris Hodges conducting an interview with Professor Wendy Brown, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University. using RT's channel on YouTube (25:19). My reaction: Prof. Brown seems to miss the fact that capitalism naturally evolves into anti-democratic fascist governments as the capitalist ruling class, that consolidates and concentrates wealth and power, feels increasingly threatened by ordinary people. Thus, she criticizes neoliberalism and the economic slide of lower classes, but seems, like many dissidents, to accept earlier forms of capitalism, as does Hodges.
  

• Biden’s watered down infrastructure plan: What’s in, what’s out and what’s next? by Monica Cruz from Peoples Dispatch.

• Wall Street Is Not Only Rigging Markets, It’s Also Rigging the Outcome of its Private Trials by Pam & Russ Martens from their weblog on Wall Street on Parade.
  

• Gavin Newsom Reappears! Takes No Responsibility For Disappearance. This post features Jimmy Dore interjecting sarcastic comments about the 14-day disappearance for public view--from his YouTube channel (14:15). My reaction: Do you believe Newsome's reasons for his disappearance?
  

• Democrats Get Schooled in Politics 101: Don’t Tread on Soccer Moms by Robert Bridges from Strategic Culture Foundation. 

• What ‘reset?’ from Cross-Talk via RT's channel on YouTube (24:05).

How is the economy working for you? We are told this is the time of the Great Reset and Build Back Better. What does that mean to you? How the does the Green New Deal play into this? It seems the rich are only getting richer. What about the rest of us? [my edit]

CrossTalking with Jeffrey Tucker, Joti Brar, and Tony Ewing.

• Britain’s hidden hand in Brazil’s 1964 coup d’etat by John McEvoy from Declassified UK.
  

• Israeli hyperbole: The art of deception by Marwan Bishara from Al Jazeera.
  

• The Global South does not need debt. We need climate justice by Mitzi Jonelle Tan from Al Jazeera.

• Critics Say Behind-the-Scene Efforts by HBSC Prove Big Bank Climate Pledges 'Cannot Be Trusted' by Julia Conley from Common Dreams. 

Time and time again we see banks launch voluntary climate initiatives which seem to be aimed purely at reaping PR benefits now, while postponing all concrete action as far into the future as possible.

• Activists Slam COP26 Deal as ‘Polite Request’ Not a Real Plan by Jake Johnson from Common Dreams. 
  

• COP26: Climate negotiations enter final day as differences remain from Al Jazeera.

• Elegies for the Lost 23: Here are the stories of nearly two dozen species recently declared extinct. By Alex Bonk from the weblog of Center for Biological Diversity on Medium. My reaction: How long will it be before the human species disappears? Your answer might be: "Oh, we are an exceptional species!"