Notices by Emeritus Prof Christopher May (chrismayla6@zirk.us), page 2

Where better today do deals to invest in Azerbaijan's fossil fuels sector than at COP29 in Baku, when you are the organisers & know which global fossil fuel firms are there to skew the agenda & where they are staying....

Anyone who thought having a COP in a petro-state (again) was the way to get fossil fuel firms to act on climate change has not been paying attention to how the series of meeting is now playing out.

#climate #fossilfuels #COP29

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmzvdn9e18o

Just in case you were in any doubt about the key fiscal character of the EU, as this chart shows, ten of its (richest) members are net contributors to the EU budget while the rest of the EU are net recipients.

The EU, with all its faults & problems retains a clear central redistributive logic... no wonder the Right don't like ti.

#EU #inequality

Meanwhile in Germany, the collapse of the ruling coalition means a likely election in the new year;

for many the themes of the election will be all tow familiar;

With failing infrastructure & business investment, much will focus on how Germany can/will pay for a renewed programme of public investment to support its pivot to new (green) industries.

Given the Right looks to be using a familiar playbook of the threat of migrants & 'wokeness' its all going to look familiar to Brits.

#Germany

I keep hearing Right commentators trying to downplay some of Trump's rhetoric by saying we should ignore what he said during the campaign & see how he actually governs....

Well, I think that's an interesting point & certainly I'm waiting to see how it all plays out... but equally for those who are diminishing the risks of a Trump term by implying he'll be more moderate in power.... this is a position that will likely collapse on contact with January's reality.

But, time will tell.....

#trump

Picture of the week.... for obvious reasons

#Trump #democracy #Global
#Art

Derek Johnson (at the other place) makes this key point about the Presidential election:

'Why was Elon Musk willing to spend $119M on electing Trump? Just look at Tesla stock today. He’s $15B richer because of the bump.

That’s a 12,600% return on investment.

This is all about the buying and selling of a presidency. Most elections are, this one is just nakedly so'!

#ElonMusk #Trump #democracy

My guess is the immigration team(s) on the Canadian border are going to have a busy few weeks.....

#USpol

As a second Trump term looks more likely, the Brexiters hope/aim to (re)align the UK with the Atlanticist economy instead of looking across the channel to Europe appears ever more like a major mistake in national economic strategy.

If Trump wins (as now looks likely) & imposes the tariffs he 'promises' then the NIESR suggest the UK's already meagre growth rates will be halved, presenting a further economic headache for Govt. & country!

#Brexit #economics #Europe

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/06/donald-trump-tariffs-would-cut-uk-growth-by-half-and-push-up-inflation-thinktank-warns

Despite the change in Govt. for the disabled austerity continues remorselessly...

as Frances Ryan details once again its the disabled who will be bearing the brunt of a Govt's 'difficult decisions';

f we judge a society by how it treats it vulnerable & disadvantaged (which is how we should judge a country!), then the UK stands accused of a callous inhumanity towards those type able ignore or discount.... we should and can do much better

#disability #politics

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/05/tax-and-spend-budget-disabled-people-austerity

If you're not worried enough by tomorrow's election, then Jan-Werner Muller (PrincetonU) has a story to tell you about a slow motion coup in America which doesn't sound as implausible as it might of a decade ago....

In 24-36 hours time, we'll find out if this is the trajectory the Republicans are on.... and 'since Trump has everything to lose (including his freedom, given the charges still pending), there’s every reason to think that he’ll try everything'!

#USPol

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/04/trump-campaign-election-coup-cover-up

We've all seen a lot of coverage of the likely impact of a second Trump term as POTUS.... but now the Observer has put all together as an 11 issue assessment of what a Trump win might entail.

Bringing these themes together offers conclusive proof that Trump is a clear & present danger to both democracy & American society.... the stakes really couldn't be higher (not just for Americans).... I have a sick sick feeling...

#USPol

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/nov/03/if-trump-wins-the-election-these-11-issues-will-be-under-threat

Jonathan Watts is not mincing his words when he (rightly) concludes that:

'The unnatural disaster in Spain – Europe’s deadliest flash floods in at least half a century – is evidence of two undeniable truths: the human-caused climate crisis is just starting to pick up ferocity & we need to quickly kill the fossil fuel industry before it kills us'!

We have been warned, yet still we do too little; this is can that can no longer be kicked down the road!

#climate #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/02/spain-apocalyptic-floods-climate-crisis-worse-big-oil-cop29

The next media sex scandal is gaining pace as the police ask the CPS to consider charging Russel Brand with historic sex offences.

Given he's all but bragged about them on TV & social media and a couple of documentaries have secured testimony from his (alleged) victims, it would now be odd if the CPS decided it was either not in the public interest or there was insufficient chance of gaining a conviction.

#RussellBrand #women

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/nov/02/police-ask-prosecutors-to-consider-charging-russell-brand-over-sex-assault-claims

If, as some are warning, the social care & health sectors do not find a way (or the means) to pay the increased employers' NI contributions mandated in the budget, then the problems in social care (and the knock on into the health care system) could get worse...

If so, the chance that the budget will be seen in the medium term as the 'right things to do' will be dead in the water.... if votes see things just getting worse (again).

#care #health #budget

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/nov/01/ministers-urged-to-protect-gp-practices-charities-and-care-homes-from-nic-rise

An LP a day - for no other reason than I love my records - No.54

Mongo Santamaria. All Strung Out

Mongo Santamaria's albums on CBS are a riot, really great pop latin soul. I've chosen this one (out of the six I have) just because of the first stand-out track (it also has a hilarious version of Heard it through the Grapevine)!

Standout tracks:
Sing A Simple Song - in which he takes a Sly classic and makes it very much his own - Funky!
I thank you - a great latin soul groove.

#music #latin

Good morning & lets start the day with this:

from @judyhoracek (via Instagram/LinkedIn)

#feminism #gender #women

Over 100 years ago, Winifred Knights painted The Deluge (1920).... its a painting that seems to be becoming more and more apposite to the contemporary human condition....

#climate #environment #art

If you're wondering what sort of pressure the water companies might have put on Labour to rule nationalisation out of the new water commission's remit, my guess would be it would be related to the problems of Investor State Dispute Settlement.....

and if you not sure what that entails, here is a piece I wrote for @NWBylines a while back setting it out....

I may be wrong, but it feels like a plausible explanation for the commission's limited terms of reference!

#water

https://northwestbylines.co.uk/environment/investor-state-dispute-settlement-the-rule-of-law-or-instrument-of-corporate-power/

If, like me, you think the only hope for modern capitalism is for the regulatory capitalism model to become normalised, then the UK's Supreme Court has just ruled in favour of public regulatory bodies being forced (more quickly) to do the very regulatory enforcement that they are supposed to do....

In a long(ish) blog @davidallengreen sets out the details of the case which is likely to be a important moment for regulation(s) & enforcement.

#regulation #capitalism

https://emptycity.substack.com/p/a-blow-against-the-alternative-remedies

@pettter

So, you think Elliott is putting up a straw man?

I ask, because, nowadays I am seldom in discussion with degrowth folk in person & only see the abbreviated positions taken here.....