from the brilliant Scottish philosopher-cartoonist Tom Gauld in New Scientist
I am haunted by this cartoon. Not only because Tom has captured so perfectly our propensity to anthropomorphize everything from pets to stuffies to cars to AI. But also because Tom’s delivery bot seems the perfect metaphor for all of us tragically caught in an unnatural, prosthetic, anxiety-ridden culture we did not ask for, turned into obedient, conditioned wage slaves dreaming of a better world.
COLLAPSE WATCH
from the memebrary; this article appeared in this Wellington NZ newspaper 114 years ago, based on a report earlier that year in Popular Mechanics (yes, it’s authenticity has been repeatedly fact-checked)
Consensus: El Niño — strong — through this coming winter: The latest consensus of NOAA corresponding experts is that El Niño will ‘officially’ begin this month. Last 4 weeks’ average RONI readings as of today are +0.7ºC, a ‘weak’ beginning El Niño (>+0.5ºC), expected to peak at +2.0ºC in January 2027 (mean forecast, but with a wide ±0.5ºC variance). RONI has peaked between +2.0ºC and +2.3ºC seven times in past (‘very strong’ El Niños), most recently in 2015, but never exceeded that threshold. We will see…:
But the CBC bizarrely says not to worry about El Niño: A CBC reporter presented an important story about El Niño: That it’s just the ‘icing on the cake’ of the much stronger and relentless increase in global temperatures caused by human pollutants. But her editor, apparently not reading the article or not wanting to upset climate deniers, put a bizarre heading on the article telling people “not to worry” about El Niño, yet.
This month in collapse news: Erik Michaels presents his usual monthly recap of what’s happening across the economic, political and ecological fronts of civilization’s accelerating collapse. And in a follow-up he talks about the recurrent themes of collapse denial and misunderstanding of how complex systems work.
Too much for a small planet to bear: Bill Rees does a broad and deep dive into the subject of Earth’s carrying capacity and why we’re now in enormous and unsustainable overshoot relative to that capacity. And in his followup, he explains why the taboo against talking about limiting Earth’s human population remains.
La la la la I can’t hear you: Tim Morgan looks at the data supporting the argument that the quality of life for most people on the planet is now declining, and that decline is accelerating. Of course, the corporatists, billionaires and their owned politicians and media just want to talk about meaningless GDP.
Don’t look now: Steven Newbury explains why when people are overwhelmed with a mountain of seemingly alarming news and information that they can’t understand (perhaps quite deliberately so), our instinct is to close our eyes and look away.
LIVING BETTER
(If I remember correctly, the last time someone bought Manhattan, it ended rather badly; my own screenshot, after purchasing a new Sara Bareilles song)
Canada recognizes “intimate family violence” as a crime: About freaking time. “For the first time in Canadian history, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized a new tort of intimate family violence grounded in coercive control“.
The Russian-Chinese Joint Communique: In contrast to the incoherent denialist ravings of many western ‘leaders’, the leaders of the two nations laid out clearly the simple fact of the end of the US/Western Empire and the emergence of a new multipolar world that we all must recognize and adapt to collaboratively, or ignore at our peril.
Former Canadian Liberal Environment Minister resigns in disgust: Steven Guilbeault, appalled by the Carney Liberals’ reversal on many of their long-standing environmental commitments in order to push big oil, mine, and pipeline projects, walked away from the government. He joins a host of other former Liberal Environment Ministers (and 14 sitting Liberal MPs) equally opposed to the hard-right turn of the federal government. “Even Harper didn’t put species extinction on the table.”
Why consultancies keep selling bullshit: They don’t do it deliberately, Mark Eddleston argues. They’ve bought their own propaganda that massively complex systems can be managed and changed through corporate policies, programs and directives, without reference to the 99% of employees’ behaviour that is beyond management’s control.
Can ‘dumbphones’ save you time, energy and stress and improve your attention span and productivity?: An overview of a new movement to liberate us from the tyranny of our ‘smartphones’. Thanks to the article author’s grandmother (my friend Diane Marshall) for the link.
Another fake keto diet study retracted: The science behind ‘keto’ diets being good for most people keeps getting debunked, and yet another flawed study promoting the diet has now been retracted. And if you take any diet advice from Jordan Peterson and his wackjob family, it’s time to get a life.
NPR’s Up First: No matter what you may think of NPR, their Up First summary will keep you apprised of what the right-wing mainstream media aren’t reporting. Add it to your RSS feed.
Made in Canada. Owned by Canadians: A resource for Canadians fed up with foreign conglomerates masquerading as Canadian companies. Separate section shows products made in Canada by companies ultimately owned by Canadians. Most products with the maple leaf sticker saying “proudly made in Canada” are actually owned by US or International food conglomerates or private equity corporations.
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS AS USUAL
recent social media post by Fox News
A new global order arrives: Patrick Lawrence brilliantly sums up the global realignment of power, credibility and cooperation that the west still seems too blind to see (and doesn’t want to see).
Thomas Massie’s final act of bravery: The quirky Republican congressman, renowned for both his pacifist fights against his war-mongering party and his extreme-right libertarianism (he introduced bills to abolish the EPA and the Dept of Education and is a fanatic unlimited-gun-rights supporter), was defeated last month in his primary thanks to a massive, record-breakingly expensive AIPAC-led assault on his character and his record. In his final speech, a day before what appears clearly to be the false-flag downing of a US Apache helicopter on June 9th by Israel, to collapse the ongoing peace talks, he reminded Americans of the similar false-flag mass-murder by Israel of the crew of the USS Liberty in 1967, also covered up and blamed on Israel’s enemies.
Dump the Dems corner: Time for US progressives to abandon the Democratic party and start a new socialist one. The Dems are owned by AIPAC. They’ve repeatedly sabotaged progressive candidates, even those within their own ranks. And they continue to support ICE when most citizens want it abolished.
Imperialism, Militarism, Oppression & Fascism: Short takes:
- Netanyahu is actually writing Trump’s speeches now.
- The NYT reports on Israel’s botched plan to install Ahmadinejad as leader of Iran.
- And the NYT reports Israel is using the debilitating chemical weapon white phosphorus in its increasing slaughter in Lebanon. Has the NYT finally had enough?
- The Iran-US-Israel “peace deal” hammered out in Pakistan is a total non-starter.
- What Israel did to the flotilla members they kidnapped, on their “torture boat”.
- The endless brutal sadism of Israel’s unhinged “settlers” in the West Bank.
- Israel’s security minister publicly announces they will “not allow” Trump to sign a peace deal with Iran.
- Revelations about US Congress’ attempt to weld together and integrate Israel’s military and defence into the US’, so they need no longer ‘ask’ for funds; they’ll just get them automatically as part of the $1.5B appropriation. Alan MacLeod has more on this. Thanks to Siyavash Abdolrahimi for the links.
- After BC’s government fired the entire Victoria BC School Board for rejecting the placing of police in schools, the Board took the province to court, and, after revealing very disturbing emails behind the decision, won their jobs back.
- The “wealth tax” debate is a trap (and why we will never get one).
- Zelenskyy’s former press secretary blows the whistle on her former boss’ corruption, pro-Nazi rants, and drug abuse. Patrick Lawrence sums up what was said if you want to skip the video.
- And Zelenskyy just renamed a Ukrainian military unit after a Ukrainian Nazi group that killed up to 100,000 Poles during WW2.
- A new survey by a conservative think-tank reveals that nearly 1/2 of all American households are not earning enough to cover even their basic necessities, forcing them ever deeper into debt.
- Many of the employers forcing their staff to rely on SNAP (food stamp) benefits are huge, wildly profitable corporations (including the mega grocery chains). Thanks to Kavana Tree Bressen for the link.
- Hegseth tells US’ Pacific ‘allies’ to prepare for war with China, and to vastly increase military spending. The Empire has come for the “rent” and their “protection money”.
- Dual citizen Cory Doctorow explains why what we really need is Carneyism (the approaches and programs he called for so successfully at Davos) without Carney (who actually acts on almost none of what he claims he wants).
Propaganda, Censorship, Misinformation and Disinformation: Short takes:
- As a result of Nick Kristof’s article on Israeli’s use of sexual torture in its genocide, plus the two other NYT articles described above, Netanyahu is suing the NYT for stepping out of line.
- Trump has mass-deleted all references to violence used in the Jan 6 2021 anti-government riots, including assaults on police, from US government websites.
- A US appeals court has allowed the renewal of brutal sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese after a lower court ordered them revoked as unconstitutional.
- Fired long-time CBS 60Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley says he was fired for refusing to insert deliberate falsehoods and invented claims into his stories.
- Israel is massively increasing its propaganda budget and programs, attempting to reach every citizen in the west through use of “psyops” and AI disinformation.
Corpocracy, Enshittification, and Unregulated Capitalism: Short takes:
- Yanis on why the corporatists love Trump’s endless wars.
- Out-of-work screenwriters are making ends meet by training AI bots. Thanks to Siyavash Abdolrahimi for the link.
- When the biggest AI data centre comes to your town.
- Ever heard of Publicis Group? Thanks to a recent merger, this marketing megalith now controls more data about you than any other company in the world.
- More from Cory on the looming AI bubble.
Administrative Mismanagement & Incompetence: Short takes:
- A fascinating and nuanced look by an urban planner explaining why ideological one-size-fits-all zoning edicts replacing discussion on a case-by-case basis is no way to conduct city planning, and actually makes things worse.
Power Abuse (the Epstein Class/ Patriciate): Short takes:
- Barry Ferns tracks, with lengthy video clips of Elon Musk, how the billionaire succumbed to the lures of the Epstein Class over two decades, and evolved from a troubled and traumatized youth into a heartless psychopath.
- Cory on how billionaires disconnected from most real people lapse into solipsism, so they really don’t care how much their activities hurt and destroy “less important” people. “To maximize corporate profits, you must view other people – employees, suppliers and customers – as inconvenient problems to be solved, not true people with feelings and needs that are co-equal with your own.”
- The Kushner-Ivanka Trump-Rothschild plan to build Epstein Island 2.0 in mafia-controlled Albania. You can’t make this shit up.
Dementia Watch: Short takes:
- “You’re either crooked or you’re stupid”, the US’ demented president tells interviewers who dare to disagree or challenge him on anything.
- Trump went on a 50-post all-night Truth Social posting spree last month, including some truly bizarre posts and a shitload of AI slop. Including photos of himself as James Bond.
- And then there’s that Fox News soundbite in the image above.
Department of Health Prevention: Short takes:
- The US FDA ramps up yet another intimidating “study” of the safety of abortion drug mifepristone. “The FDA’s review is a politically motivated farce,” read a statement from Planned Parenthood Action Fund President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson. “Mifepristone is safe and effective. We know it, the FDA knows it, and the more than 7.5 million people who’ve used mifepristone for abortion and miscarriage care over the past 25 years know it too.”
- What hantavirus is showing us about our teetering public health systems and the effect of politicians discrediting public health workers for political points.
- Canada’s government is sabotaging its own long-promised national pharmacare program.
- The FDA joins the CDC and much of the bowdlerized US health care system as being leaderless with yet another resignation due to political interference.
- Yet another reason to Dump the Dems: California Democrats are promising healthcare for all, while protecting the system that makes that impossible.
- Why “Big Meat” is screaming about a new international cancer research report showing that meat probably causes cancer. How dare they give the public facts?
- And six items of good news on the public health and global disease front.
- And the US federal government has just announced that every grant applicant for any government organization in the country must register with a new ideological purity registry, essentially breaking the already-teetering science and health research system.
FUN AND INSPIRATION
from a reddit post by the photographer; Star Trek cosplayers ‘time-traveling’ to a Renaissance Faire
The Happy City and Healthy City Index, 2025: See where your city ranks, and where you might be happier, or live healthier.
Another awesome protest song from Katie Pruitt: “Cause they don’t care that we’re yelling, if we’re buying what they’re selling. They don’t care if the world goes up in smoke. They’ll ride off in their rockets while they raise the price of hope. Meanwhile you and I are sinking in the same boat.”
Now there’s a tool that can ‘humanize’ your AI-produced essays and resumes so people and AI-detectors don’t know they’re AI: An AI tool that alters the tone of AI slop so AI detectors can’t tell it’s AI. At least until someone creates an ‘AI humanizer detector’! Thanks to Siyavash Abdolrahimi for the link.
Why easy ‘solutions’ don’t fix complex predicaments: We humans aren’t terribly interested in hearing the truth. What we want to hear is that we’re right. Especially if we’re consultants selling methodologies. Tim Requarth explains that ‘critical analytical assessments’ that produce a “solvable problem with a deliverable (a training module, a checklist, a workshop), that looks good in a slide deck, and makes for a nice little perspective piece in an academic journal” are substantially useless at addressing problems that are actually orders of magnitude more complex than such deliverables can ever hope to address. (This makes a good companion piece to Mark Eddleston’s, above.)
How Honeyguide birds trained humans to find food for both of them: We condition and domesticate each other, even across species barriers.
Why music is an essential memory tool: Lovely little video explaining why music’s message sticks with us when the messages of other forms of communication are quickly forgotten. Thanks to Hank and John for the link.
Everything Banksy gives away, the rich take: Barry Ferns’ latest explanation of “how power and money really work“. Includes a discussion of how Elinor Ostrom debunked Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” yet the rich keep pushing the myth that the ‘tragedy’ is real.
The inherent fragility of software: Cory explains why software, like all things organic and inorganic, becomes more and more fragile as it gets bigger and more unwieldy until no one still knows how to fix it when it breaks. Not even AI. And then Steven Newbury provides an example of what happens when that unwieldy software collapses disastrously.
The myth of “psychological safety” programs in organizations: The idea is that you feel safe enough to tell your employer the truth, even if they don’t want to hear it, explains Mark Eddleston. But, he explains, citing Margaret Heffernan:
I think it’s also a little naive, in so far as, I can do my very best to create a work environment that feels safe. But if there’s high unemployment, if there’s high inflation, if people are carrying a very large amount of personal debt, usually in the form of a mortgage, I promise you people won’t feel safe. So there’s a significant amount to do with psychological safety that is entirely beyond the control of the organisation.
THOUGHTS OF THE MONTH
my own photo — a clever ‘vandal’ has carefully changed a ‘No Dumping’ sign on a fence behind a local high school
From author Ray Naylor, in a recent interview with Chris Hedges:
Everything that is successful and worth doing has to begin with care as its first step. First, you care and then you do a thing. And these are the kinds of actions in the world that seem to have the most benefit for everyone. It’s those actions that are initiated with a sense of care. My grandmother used to say when we would do things badly as kids – my grandmother was from Appalachia, so she spoke very bluntly – she would say, “Well, the first step is giving a shit. And then everything comes out of that. So, if you don’t give a shit, you’re never going to get it right.”
From Chris Hedges, in the same interview:
We tell the stories that perpetuate the narrative or the myth we want, and we erase the others.
From Kim Addonizio, To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably In the Next Stall:
If you ever woke in your dress at 4am ever
closed your legs to someone you loved opened
them for someone you didn’t moved against
a pillow in the dark stood miserably on a beach
seaweed clinging to your ankles paid
good money for a bad haircut backed away
from a mirror that wanted to kill you bled
into the back seat for lack of a tampon
if you swam across a river under rain sang
using a dildo for a microphone stayed up
to watch the moon eat the sun entire
ripped out the stitches in your heart
because why not: if you think nothing &
no one can / listen I love you joy is coming
