Россия AND OTHER REGIMES

In addition to facilitating the expansion of NATO and demonstrating exactly why his neighbours in that cherished “near-abroad” of Russia should be anxious to ally with the West, President Vladimir Putin has put Russia right where Chinese President Xi Jinping wants it. The appeasers were wrong — the UK and France should have attacked Hitler in 1938. Merkel clears herself of wrongdoing on the rise of Putin. The sinister Wagner Group and what the US failed to do to stop them (the West, of course, has the common courtesy to carry out its imperialist assaults under its own name). And the idea that Russia may benefit from climate change has some serious holes in it.

MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE

Maybe Americans don’t do anything about guns because they’re not allowed to see the pictures of what they do. Why the myth of American exceptionalism provides a path to fascism. Cornel West discusses the school of pragmatism and why he retains faith in America. Surprise — the GOP hasn’t changed on climate. Black Christians urge white churches to go pro-life on guns. The 16th century called and wants its principles back: the newest of the “new rights” is a combination of the not very right-wing and truly extreme reaction. How the US media holds Biden to a ridiculously high standard on guns. Big Tech at work: the plan to gut an anti-trust bill.

WHEN TRUTH GETS IN THE WAY OF THE STORY

Every six months, someone in Australia, usually on the right, says “it’s time for a debate on nuclear power”. Every six months, the overwhelming case against nuclear power in Australia remains the same: it’s ludicrously expensive, requires government involvement in power generation, and if ever built will arrive a decade late and several hundred per cent over budget. At this stage, like clockwork, nuclear proponents will invoke “small modular reactors”, which are “just around the corner” — a place they’ve been for several decades. It’s hard to critique this argument, because SMRs don’t exist. But now we know: SMRs will produce an inordinate amount of nuclear waste. Like Australia, America doesn’t have a wage-price problem. And you really do live in a simulation: your brain is making it constantly.

DELUSIONS

Poland is attempting to create a pregnancy register. We know where that leads. Why the US media needs some basic education on writing about abortion. “Luftwaffle”: how WW2 is now routinely exploited in political debate in the UK. Eyes on the prize. Deep fakes, actors and conspiracy theorising — there’s a whole new world of crazy coming into existence. What happens when you monitor people’s prescription drug usage? Surprise — they switch to ones you can’t monitor. Great job, public experts!

NATIONAL SECURITY

One of the biggest security breaches of recent years was when the CIA had its trove of carefully curated “exploits” handed to WikiLeaks. Among other things, it forced US intelligence agencies to fundamentally revise their policy of not reporting security flaws in commonly used software and instead exploit them for intelligence-gathering. The background to who is accused of leaking the trove, and why they’re on trial for leaking and not for sex crimes, is a remarkable story. Drone swarms are the new black in military thinking. The Chinese are already into them big time (maybe Michael Caine can make an update of The Swarm?).

MISCELLANEOUS

We’re still debating whether animals dream, apparently. What are the implications if they do dream? And are dreams, as one expert suggests, really just our minds playing out survival simulations so we’ll cope better if confronted with them in real life? In which case, I’ll be utterly prepped and ready next time I find myself back in Year 12 and haven’t studied for my HSC. A long, compelling piece on how San Francisco became a failed city, and what its citizens are doing about it. If you enjoy excoriating takedowns of the Windsors, Jonathan Meade has you covered at LRB. Warning — actual LOLs ahead.

FINALLY

Something I need to learn more than most — making your dog’s walk about your dog, not you (still, walking two greyhounds both obsessed with smells can be, erm, frustrating). Bonus for the cat lovers: University of Helsinki research claims to identify the range of cat personalities. Compulsory canine content: not sure about the ethics of such toys but cuteness overload coming.