Reading

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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 07:03
1 pound fresh broccoli or 2 10-ounce packages frozen broccoli spears½ cup salad oil3 tablespoons vinegar2 tablespoons lemon juice1½ teaspoons sugar¾ teaspoon salt¾ teaspoon paprika¾ teaspoon dry mustard¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crushedDash cayenne⅓ cup finely chopped dill pickle⅓ cup finely chopped green pepper3 tablespoons snipped parsley2 tablespoons capers, drained1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped Cut fresh […]
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 06:00

My first introduction to Michael Lebowitz’s Beyond Capital: Marx’s Political Economy of the Working Class was through social reproduction theory. Specifically Tithi Bhattacharya’s chapter ‘How not to skip class’ in Social Reproduction Theory uses Lebowitz as a basis for centreing social reproduction and class struggle across the social factory within a Marxist analysis. Reading it six years ago, alone, and at the beginning of my PhD was a very different experience to re-reading it this time with the collective wisdom of the PPE reading group. My notes from 2017 capture my insecurity with the theory but also desire to find a framework from which to build my own theoretical approach to understanding the role of nature and social reproduction within capitalism. Returning to the text in 2022, its unique take on some old Marxist questions as well as some weaknesses were more apparent.

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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 05:51
In response to a question on how the sanctions environment would affect the energy market, bin Salman told an industry conference in Riyadh: "All of those so-called sanctions, embargoes, lack of investments, they will convolute into one thing and one thing only, a lack of energy supplies of all kinds when they are most needed".
Reuters
Saudi minister warns sanctions, underinvestment may cause energy shortages

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Europe was forced to abandon [cheap] long-term contracts and make the transition to [expensive] spot-based pricing/
TASS (Russian state media)
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 05:40
Video and transcript. The video is from  4 days ago. The transcript takes a couple of days to prepare.

Naked Capitalism
The Economics of the Ukraine Proxy War with Michael Hudson and Radhika Desai
Danny Haiphong at the Left Lens channel interviews Michael Hudson and Radhika Desai

Created
Tue, 07/02/2023 - 05:30
Not bloody likely If you need proof that the Republican Party is fully in the hands of far-right extremists, look no further than the case of Congressman Jim Jordan. The Ohio Republican,  first elected in 2006, is the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Jordan has been a right-wing bomb thrower and ruthless partisan street fighter from the start. An early endorser of the Tea Party and a founder of the hardcore austerity crusaders the Freedom Caucus, Jordan was always at the center of the obstructionist tactics during the Obama years. He then ran interference for Donald Trump during his many scandals. From Tea Party to Freedom Caucus to MAGA, for the last 16 years, Jim Jordan has been the quintessential far-right Republican, in whatever permutation that is at a given time.  Jordan was involved in the efforts to oust former GOP Speaker John Boehner as a member of the Freedom Caucus, causing Boehner to dub him a “legislative terrorist” which is a very accurate description of his tactics. And he led unsuccessful efforts to do the same to his successor Paul Ryan.
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 05:00

“Prices at the grocery store have risen for many foods, but the cost of eggs climbed the most in the last year and consumers have scrambled to keep up.” – PBS

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Well, well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Big Shot eating an egg for breakfast. You do understand people are suffering, right? They can’t pay their rent. They can’t afford their medications. And yet here you are, eating an egg for breakfast.

Look at Mr. Money Bags over here eating his egg-white omelet. Imagine having so much cash you can just let the most nutrient-rich part of the egg slip down the drain. Hold your breath, Scrooge McDuck, because you must be drowning in liquid assets. You are the 1 percent.

What are you, the heir to a chicken farm?

Created
Tue, 07/02/2023 - 04:58
The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers’, recent essay in The Monthly explores the relationship between the state and the private sector, and how that matters for the problems of our time. Chalmers’ thesis The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has published in The Monthly a very thoughtful essay calling for “a new values-based capitalism for Australia.” Chalmers starting point Continue reading »
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 04:57
Under the shelter of the ‘shared values’ mantra the leaders of America and its vassal states like Australia find justification for militarisation and hegemony. Secretary of State Blinken’s comments in Jerusalem, while sharing a podium with the Israeli Prime Minister, have exposed the utter meaningless and hypocrisy of this formula. Sloganeering about shared values and Continue reading »
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 04:53
The recommendations of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce released last week, like almost any serious health reform in Australia, require joint Commonwealth and state action. Unfortunately, going into last Friday’s National Cabinet meeting state responses were at the juvenile end of the spectrum – the Commonwealth should give them and doctors more money – with no Continue reading »
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 04:50
It seems the Pentagon has floated another one. The net result of this incident thus far is that the secretary of state has called off a scheduled summit to Beijing intended to reduce tensions. Let us think some early thoughts about the Pentagon’s announcement, reported in this morning’s dailies, that it has detected an intelligence-gathering Continue reading »
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 04:00
I have lived through some tiresome news cycles in my life but this Chinese balloon cycle was one of the worst. The hysteria was completely inane, particularly on the right but among the media as well. But it is a story and it’s bizarre enough that a little calm expertise is called for. James Fallows is not only a great journalist but also an aviator and a China hand so his analysis is particularly astute: I. The Chinese Balloon Q: Do we believe the Chinese government statement that this was just a science-oriented weather mission? A: No. Q: Then what could the people who launched it conceivably have been thinking? A: Who knows. At the moment I can imagine three possibilities, all bad. -First, this could have been a screwup in the most basic sense. Whoever launched it thought the jet-stream winds would keep it over Canada, rather than dipping into the U.S. Of course that would still mean traversing airspace of a NATO member, and of course it would mean crossing Alaska before that. This possibility is conceivable but not likely. -Second, this could have been a screwup within the Chinese leadership.
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Tue, 07/02/2023 - 03:11

On the passing away of Victoria Chick

We are greatly saddened to note the passing of Victoria (Vicky) Chick on January 15, 2023. Victoria was a vital force in many ways - intellectual, personal, and as an activist member of the academic community. She was an inspiration, mentor, and dear friend to many. She will be sorely missed while leaving behind a powerful legacy. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family.