Shostakovich’s String Quartets: The Movie of Life Simon Morrison (Michael T.)
“Snack” The Ancient Logic of the Dead Language Society (Micael T)
Hidden earthquake fault beneath Seattle may be more dangerous than expected Science Daily (Kevin W)
The global birthrate crisis is probably worse than you think Derek Thompson (Michael T.). Don’t even get me started on this topic.
Nestlé Killed Millions of Infants Betham’s Bulldog (Michael T.)
ebola hemorrhagic fever
WHO Director-General is ‘deeply concerned’ about the speed and scale of the Ebola outbreak, The New York Times. You’ll see later how the headline was watered down.
An American has tested positive for Ebola. US to screen travelers at airports The Washington Post
outbreak #ebolahaemorrhagic fever #Bundy Bugyo It is currently the third largest on record. of #who The country representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Anne Anthea, told the World Health Assembly today that the number of suspected cases now exceeds 500, with 130 suspected deaths.
This will be very difficult to contain. pic.twitter.com/tnMCUO2j5v
— Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 (@HelenBranswell) May 19, 2026
hantavirus
Hantaviruses in Africa: Why climate change, rats and weak surveillance are worrying scientists
A critical window to stop hantaviruses is opening. Not all countries manage exposed travelers the same way CNN
Douglas County adult dies from hantavirus, health officials say not linked to cruise ship outbreak CPR
New coronavirus infection/pandemic
Please click:
If COVID-19 makes people “more vulnerable” to nearly all other pathogenic infections through multiple mechanisms, we would expect to see an increase in nearly all other pathogenic infections.
And that’s what we’re seeing.
Publish a news article that isn’t surprising at all:
— Turn (@1goodtern) May 19, 2026
Climate/Environment
Farmers realized that the cheapest insecticide was flower strips.
If you plant wildflowers in a strip running through the middle of the field rather than just at the edges, ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps will take up residence in the field… pic.twitter.com/7V0tqMeM4M
— I don’t care about nature (@giveashitnature) May 19, 2026
Redistribution of life: How climate change is redrawing the map of global species migration
This is a graph showing daily temperature anomalies above the pre-industrial baseline from 1850 to 1900 over the past 20 years using Copernicus data. As you can clearly see, the trend line shows that the Earth will exceed 1.5°C within a year.
Get on the boat, everyone! pic.twitter.com/2Tl9niExxV
— Professor Elliot Jacobson (@EliotJacobson) May 16, 2026
‘Doomsday’ glacier’s giant ice shelf is about to collapse, new scientist says
Latin America faces ‘hydrological whiplash’ as climate risks rise Climate News
Western water users seek billions of dollars in drought aid from federal government as Colorado River forecast worsens Aspen Public Radio
Saudi Arabia braces for intense heat and dusty winds during Hajj Gulf News
Australian farmers hit by Iran war costs and dry climate, reducing wheat production Reuters
China?
That’s completely false. pic.twitter.com/cYw96Yxx1S
— Chinese MFA spokesperson, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@MFA_China) May 19, 2026
Wuxi Empire China Talk
Japan
Why do Japanese companies do so many different things? David Oks (Micael T)In my personal opinion, I get along well with Japanese people because I share their neuroses.
Japan is suffering from mass allergies. The 1950s project is the BBC’s fault (Paul R)
South Korea
Samsung union to go on strike after mediation fails Nikkei Shimbun
Africa
Kenya paralyzed by deadly protests and strikes due to fuel costs DW (Anne)
south of the border
It took just six months for the US puppet regime in Bolivia to fall Council Media Estate
This is Bolivia. 8th day of general strike. All highways have been barricaded, all trade and economic activity has been halted, and commercial trucks are backing up by the thousands. This will continue until the neoliberal government resigns.
There is a Strait of Hormuz for workers in every country. pic.twitter.com/bvcYSBjeK8
— Ollie Vargas (@Ollie_Vargas_) May 20, 2026
discord in europe
Controlled Chaos: How Washington is sabotaging a multipolar world and sacrificing Europe Thomas Fudge
Permission to pollute European companies (Michael T)
Germany is producing successors faster than champions The Data Room (Micael T)
How the right-wing lies about Sweden’s economic growth story through machine translation (Micael T)
Sweden buys warships from France – tens of billions of dollars in machine translation Aftonbladet. Michael T.: “So they haven’t learned anything from the drone and missile wars in Ukraine and Iran?”
old blighty
UK eases Russian oil sanctions over soaring fuel prices BBC Bwahaha
High levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found off the coast of southern England Guardian
israel vs resistance
🚨 Breaking news:
🇺🇸🇮🇷 After eight attempts, the U.S. Senate finally voted 50-47 to pass the War Powers Resolution limiting military activity against Iran.
Main details:
– Four Republicans crossed the aisle and voted yes: Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand. https://t.co/rBf7WsKmzU pic.twitter.com/ZkJ4p0UBZJ
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 19, 2026
Tucker Carlson gets his message straight to Israeli media: Neither the US nor Israel are democracies Haaretz
An early goal of the US and Israel’s war against Iran was to install a hard-line former president: Anadolu Agency reports. This must be psychology. Israel deliberately mistranslated President Ahmadinejad’s statement as “Israel must be wiped from the map” and whipped him. President Ahmadinejad’s statement was conditional; in fact, it would have been better if Israel never existed.
I wasn’t a fan of Mr. Ahmadinejad during his first term, but my dislike for him grew even stronger in his second term. But why did the New York Times now publish a report labeling him as a traitor to his country? Why would the criminal Trump administration reveal its alleged assets… pic.twitter.com/JMEMcnUdph
— Syed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) May 20, 2026
Inside Iran’s attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz The Washington Post
Pakistan’s Saudi deployment reveals new realities of Gulf security Asia Times (Kevin W)
A new war that’s not so cold war
Russia’s SVR hints at attack on NATO ‘decision-making center’ following recent drone provocation Simplicius
🇺🇦 As the drone situation over the Baltic states intensifies, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in large-scale damage control mode. pic.twitter.com/KiLhSVGxIT
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) May 19, 2026
What are the chances that Russia’s next special operation will be against Latvia?Andrew Korkivko
May Mobilization Report Events in Ukraine
imperial collapse watch
Once again: The average American K-12 student performs well compared to international standards Freddie DeBoer
America doesn’t learn from failed wars Daniel Larison
Trump 2.0
Top Treasury Department lawyer resigns on behalf of President Trump, IRS settlement announced on the Hill. This was the Chief Legal Officer. If Trump hadn’t been surrounded by so many allies and Congress had been able to get out of bed, this would have been a Saturday night massacre.
A lawyer handpicked by President Trump quits the Treasury Department after being fed up with the huge $1.8 billion funding The Daily Beast (Anne). A more poignant retelling of the same story.
Justice Department expands settlement to cover Trump tax audit, Politico
Blanche: “The United States forever enjoins and prohibits the prosecution or pursuit of any investigation or similar or related review against President Trump or any “associated persons or persons,” including his family, affiliates, or trusts. https://t.co/mbgSdQ1YmE pic.twitter.com/we2LJjvDwV
— Tyler McBrien (@TylerMcBrien) May 19, 2026
* * *
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie lost to Ed Gullane in the Kentucky Republican primary, giving Trump another victory. This result was also top news on Bloomberg Middle East edition.
said Thomas Massey, who lost the Republican primary in Kentucky.
“I would have liked to have played sooner, but I had to tell my opponent to concede, and it took me a while to find Ed Gullane in Tel Aviv.” pic.twitter.com/yV4aW7vrqP
— Comments (@remarks) May 20, 2026
Thomas Massie’s defeat is the worst thing that can happen to American Jews. Every Jew will be subject to suspicion of dual loyalty, I’m just telling you what it’s like.
AIPAC, Israel, Miriam Adelson shares her deep hatred for Israel and the fact that many…
— Kim Iversen 🇺🇸 (@KimIversenShow) May 20, 2026
I am proud and grateful to serve in the United States House of Representatives with my friend Thomas Massey. Thomas Massey is a giant among weak wretches.
The release of the Epstein files was our demise.
But it was all worth it, because now everyone knows the truth.
You are controlled by…
— Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@FmrRepMTG) May 20, 2026
You can expect the following:
If Massie loses tonight, he should run for president.
If Massie wins tonight, he should run for president.
— Dave Smith (@ComicDaveSmith) May 19, 2026
* * *
Trump administration officials plan to repeat restrictions on ‘permanent chemicals’ in drinking water Guardian
President Trump treats legal immigration as intolerable WH Lawrence
Trumpworld’s new eyebrow-raising addiction, even health chief RFK Jr. admits to daily use of the Daily Mail
republican clown car
Bill Cassidy used his conscience to vote for impeachment and continued to be sucked into Donald Trump for the next five years. He was the most unqualified Secretary of Health I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, the man who brought ruin to the public health system, and was the deciding vote in Trump’s favor.
Message to friends… pic.twitter.com/Ud8QLDxHgA
— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) May 19, 2026
Between Mr. Cassidy and Mr. Cornyn, the president’s agenda is now about to turn to DOA in the Senate. Add in Tillis, McConnell, etc., and why would they bother doing all the hard work for Trump?
— Erik Erickson (@EWErickson) May 19, 2026
Democrats are the worst
Why has the working class’ attitude towards the Democratic Party worsened? Les Leopold
economy
Australian farmers hit by Iran war costs and dry climate, reducing wheat production Reuters (Ann)
A.I.
8 Scary Facts About Data Centers Babylon Bee
AI is too expensive Ed Zitron
Lawyer of man who sued woman who called him “psycho” arrested for using AI 404 media
Great Zombie Owen Yinglin (Anthony L)
How to identify the “sacred art” Hilary White generated by AI. Michael T: “FFS!!! It’s different here too. AI is blasphemy.”
Christopher Hoffman (Michael T.), the philosopher who foresaw AI and inspired the Unabomber and Neil Postman
Amazon employees are forced to meet AI usage quotas and immediately start using AI for everything other than work Futurism
guillotine watch
Elon Musk’s descent into racist absurdity Oligarch Watch
class war
JUST IN: Costco is fighting a class action lawsuit that claims shoppers “got what they paid for” and must return customs duty refunds to customers.
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) May 19, 2026
Layoffs hurt morale among tech workers Mount New York Times (Kevin W)
Antidote (via):
And bonus:
Thank you.. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/9Myqb4MoAB
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) May 20, 2026
Second:
Skilled fishermen who struggle every day pic.twitter.com/v2DTjp0thz
— A cat with a strong impression🐾 (@catshealdeprsn) May 16, 2026
Third:
Too cute communication mismatch
・Cat headbutt = expression of affection
・Goat headbutt = invitation to play pic.twitter.com/WJd8Gb1w1Y
— A cat with a strong impression🐾 (@catshealdeprsn) May 17, 2026
And finally another type of bonus (Chuck L):
Wow, how these guys get up and walk. pic.twitter.com/kI4998MLn6
— The Figen (@TheFigen_) May 19, 2026
Click here for yesterday’s link and Antidote du Jour.
