Medieval Courts Put Murderous Pigs on Trial and the Records Are Stranger Than Fiction ZME Science
Artist Builds a Fully Stocked Bird-Sized Bar to Make Friends With the Local Crows Laughing Squid
Lettuce supplier is potential source of cyclosporiasis outbreak, investigators say WaPo
Climate/Environment
The images and air quality numbers coming out of affected areas of Canada and the US are shocking. Hope NC readers are staying safe out there.
Wildfire Smoke Is Health-Ruining. Here’s How to Prevent Heart and Lung Damage Wired
Air quality is the worst in these US cities amid Canada wildfires USA Today
Why the United States Keeps Choking on Canadian Smoke Colin McCarthy
“Just put the fires out!”
Ever seen a boreal wildfire? I have. I used to fight them.
When fire behaviour becomes extreme, you’re not getting close to them.
The radiant heat from a crown fire is face-melting from hundreds of metres away.
All attempts at direct attack will… pic.twitter.com/TfIr67Iz1C
— Kyle Brittain (@BadWeatherKyle) July 16, 2026
A major new wildfire outbreak is now underway across interior Pacific Northwest, with dozens (or more) new wildfires already popping up in eastern Oregon & Washington following tens of thousands of lightning strikes in region experiencing moderate to extreme drought. #ORwx #WAwx pic.twitter.com/t6dxb6fV9q
— Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) July 17, 2026
Flooding in Texas…Again (July, 2026)! My Weather Corner
The Strongest El Niño Ever The Climate Brink
Seeding clouds with seawater could change Earth’s weather and prevent a super El Nino: Study Down to Earth
Pandemics
Measles cases in 2026 are set to surpass last year’s total. Here’s why ABC News
ACIP vote on combo measles vaccine could especially affect families in greater need CIDRAP
China?
Why is Trump Trying to Start a New War with China? Larry Johnson
China’s ‘Green Great Wall’ tames desert growth, but scientists warn the fight is not over AP
Liu Shijin: China Saves Too Much to Grow Inside China
India
Manufacturing Revolt New Left Review
Syraqistan
Israeli war chief tells Pentagon that occupation forces will remain in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza The Cradle
Vance throwing dirt at Israel and promoting the fantasy of a schism between Israel and the US is obvious psyop. In fact, it is the most telltale sign that the US is about to embark on a major escalation – together with Israel. Most likely, the decision to start a bigger war and… https://t.co/L4JKMVLuWb
— Alon Mizrahi (@alon_mizrahi) July 16, 2026
Shahid Baqaei Hospital, a children’s cancer treatment centre in Ahvaz, was evacuated last night after the US attacked a nearby location.
This barbaric attack, reminiscent of Israel’s atrocities against healthcare facilities, caused severe suffering and anxiety upon the… pic.twitter.com/xv3W7SY2X9
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 16, 2026
They pressured Carter to invade Kharg Island too. He didn’t. Responsible Statecraft
US Navy’s Iran deployment exposes an empire stretched to the limit Al Mayadeen
Ansarallah Vows to Block Saudi Access to Bab al-Mandab After Strikes on Sana’a Drop SiteUS Approves Nearly $2 Billion Arms Sale for Saudi Arabia After Escalation in Yemen Antiwar
Africa
Why is it so difficult (and crazy expensive) to fly within Africa? Ken Opalo
Of heroes and hero worship? Some musings on the first chapter of ‘The Big Conservation Lie’ by John Mbaria and Mordecai Ogada Review of African Political Economy
Old Blighty
European Disunion
EU takes inspiration from Trump with bonfire of banking rules Politico
Fears over foreign influence in France, as Musk backs Le Pen presidential bid Radio France Internationale
Meloni shaken as her own allies torpedo flagship reform Intellinews
New Not-So-Cold War
Political Crisis in Kiev as Shrinking Zelensky Ousts Popular Defense Minister Simplicius
Scott Ritter v. Gilbert Doctorow: Is Russia Losing the War? Natylie’s Place
Imperial Collapse Watch
Watters: Women on base, you better be careful. Port calls, women in Asia, you better be careful. Because these guys are going to be wild animals and you better watch out. pic.twitter.com/R95gFpYEmA
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 16, 2026
U.S. Navy Just Detonated “Experimental Explosion” Off Florida Coast Inside the Magic
South of the Border
Senior defense officials looking at Cuba military options CBS News
In other words, a US military invasion of Venezuela https://t.co/RnLi2pMCxO
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 17, 2026
Trump 2.0
Trump declassifies intelligence claiming Chinese interference in 2020 US elections France24
‘Trump Is Trying to End Our Democracy’: Alarm as President Attacks Elections Ahead of Midterms Common Dreams
We watched Trump’s dangerous and deranged speech so you don’t have to. Here are the moments you need to know about:
— He openly laid groundwork to challenge the midterms. He claimed our elections were “compromised,” clearly setting up the justification to tamper with results… pic.twitter.com/5Qg3yzU3jJ
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 17, 2026
***
Miller Labels Leftists a “Cancer” That World Must “Root Out” in Fascistic Speech Truthout
Stephen Miller says NSPM-7 will lead to the debanking, defunding and disruption of left-wing “political terrorists that are operating in our country.” pic.twitter.com/f8149D3r52
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 16, 2026
Marco Rubio says Antifa is being directly aided by Iran and Cuba through a massive international network that seeks to attack the West with terrorism and propaganda.
“They despise the West because the West is great.” pic.twitter.com/20o7JSLdKY
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) July 16, 2026
Husband of Code Pink founder being investigated under federal foreign agent and tax lawsCBS News
***
Exclusive: Truth Social to license its data to Wall Street Axios
Trump Teleprompter Operator On Leave After Betting On President’s Speeches HuffPost
Democrats Suck
Performative Voting: Voting “Against” “Aid” When “Netanyahu” Says he Doesn’t Want It Sam Husseini
AI
The really big one Business Insider
The Great AI News Heist Boondoggle
Book publishers sue Google for copyright infringement over Gemini AI training The Guardian
The Accelerationists
Sports Desk
What VAR tells us about AI Blood in the Machine
Could you score a World Cup penalty kick? Many men say yes YouGov
FIFA—Not U.S. Economy—Is Big World Cup Winner So Far Forbes
Wildfire Smoke Threatens World Cup Final in New York TeleSur
Our Famously Free Press
Anatomy of a Struggle Session Matt Taibbi
How Matt Taibbi’s ‘Anatomy of a Struggle Session’ Article Is Detached From Reality. The Dissident
“MAHA”
Inside RFK Jr.’s push to dismantle decades of U.S. vaccine policy CNN
She Blew It: CDC Director Nominee Tanks in Senate Hearing MedPage Today
Casino Nation
Kalshi pulls plug on planned flight cancellation contracts Fortune
Class Warfare
The Globalisation of Markets and the Localisation of Hunger Ann Pettifor
Beyond the Interregnum Savage Minds
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
“Why is Trump Trying to Start a New War with China?”
No idea why Trump is doing something so stupid. He has turned the war with Iran hot again while he enables long range missiles strikes into Russia. This being the case, he has decided that the best thing that he can do is pick a fight with China again. President Xi is supposed to visit the US in September but if Trump keeps this up, perhaps Xi will call the visit off to a more better time. Say, after the 2028 US Federal election? I do have my suspicions here. I am given to understand that elections in the US are run by the individual States and not the Federal government. And for months Trump has tried to blackmail individual States to get them to hand over to him their electoral rolls. (Maybe he should have asked the Chinese to do it for him based on his rant.) Whatever. So perhaps Trump wants to throw out the idea that it should be the Federal government that organizes Federal elections and not the States. I think that requires a change to the US Constitution but maybe one of Trump’s lawyers assures him that all he would need to do is to make a Presidential finding and then it could be done. Trump does have a habit of ignoring laws remember so perhaps this is on his mind.
Crazy. And contrast with Bloomberg piece we had in Links yesterday: Trump’s Aides See China Cheating on Trade, But Shun Retaliation Bloomberg https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/trump-aides-see-china-cheating-163826999.html
What can I read in the psycho-dynamics of Proffessor Doctorow, who bolds only the words “Russian Victory”?
File under Big Brother. (and the holding company? / ;)
Tucker Carlson interviews Benn Jordan on Flock cameras and former Pawtucket, Rhode Island policeman and whistleblower Noel Pichardo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH3QGv2L9ng
“Air quality is the worst in these US cities amid Canada wildfires”
I suppose that Trump could charge Canada tariffs on the import of all that unnecessary smoke. So unfair. Not like the superior smoke coming off American forests burning which is the best in the world. People are amazed at its quality.
re: Miller Labels Leftists a “Cancer” That World Must “Root Out” in Fascistic Speech – Truthout
Are the oligarchs getting nervous? / ;)
A coupla months ago, didn’t Trump come out with a list of dangerous ideas to America? And included were those critical of Capitalism?
My thanks to the NC community as we deal with the smoke from the wildfires. We made a Corsi-Rosenthal box last night to mitigate the air quality and relied on posts here for instructions and analysis.
Re Taibbi–I don’t even bother to check his RSS feed any more. Used to be good.
And it is remarkable the degree to which free speech warriors like Taibbi and Turley don’t seem to have a problem with Israel and the Lobby. Both have met with a lot of financial success in recent times if conclusions must be drawn.
“Medieval Courts Put Murderous Pigs on Trial and the Records Are Stranger Than Fiction”
I read how in Roman times that if a child chocked to death on say an apple, then they would put that tree on trial for their death. And if found guilty, they would chop down that tree an burn it. Did it bring back that kid? No, but it may have helped those parents get some closure. Years ago here in Oz I read about a circus worker that was walking by an elephant when it grabbed the guy and killed him. A tragedy to be sure. But then I read how this elephant had done the same to this woman and before her another person. That is three deaths but people defended that elephant. It was then I began to wonder if those Romans had a point.
Facts Only
* A new wildfire outbreak is underway across the interior Pacific Northwest.
* New wildfires have appeared in eastern Oregon and Washington following tens of thousands of lightning strikes in a drought-affected region.
* Air quality in US cities is poor due to Canada wildfires.
* Measles cases in 2026 are projected to surpass last year's total.
* A vote on a combo measles vaccine could affect families in greater need.
* There are ongoing geopolitical events concerning China, the US-China relationship, and conflicts involving Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
* The US Navy's deployment to Iran exposes an empire stretched to the limit.
* Ansarallah vowed to block Saudi access to Bab al-Mandab after strikes on Sana'a.
* There are discussions regarding climate change impacts, such as El Niño patterns.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The collection of topics reveals a narrative structure that connects immediate physical threats—wildfire smoke and climate instability—with deep-seated geopolitical fault lines and domestic political polarization. The juxtaposition of environmental disaster reporting with commentary on international conflict (Israel/Palestine, US/China) suggests a pattern where existential security is framed through both ecological collapse and political confrontation. The focus on the historical comparison of medieval legal trials versus modern events points to an underlying human need for accountability and narrative construction when facing catastrophic or morally ambiguous events. The discourse surrounding figures like Trump, and the framing of political opponents as external threats ("Leftists a 'Cancer'"), demonstrates an attempt to consolidate political identity by defining in-group and out-group boundaries, often leveraging fear appeals related to domestic stability, which can then be extrapolated to international conflict scenarios. The persistence of commentary on centralized control versus decentralized systems, exemplified by the discussion about US elections and constitutional change, suggests a tension between established structures and emergent, often radicalized, political impulses. The implication is that when physical realities (like smoke or climate) intersect with manufactured political narratives, the resulting discourse serves to solidify existing power structures while simultaneously demanding agency from the public regarding these complex threats.
Bridge Questions: How do environmental crises like wildfire smoke serve as a catalyst for shifting domestic political alignments? What role do historical analogies, such as medieval legal precedent, play in contemporary justifications for conflict and action? If political narratives are actively constructed to frame international events, what specific mechanisms can be employed to foster cognitive sovereignty against such framing?
Sentinel — Human
The text appears to be a stream of consciousness compilation, likely aggregating and reacting to disparate news items, demonstrating a human tendency toward associative thinking rather than formal, structured writing.