Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, and Debt:

Tether Hasn’t Printed New USDT in Weeks: 3 Possible Explanations

Aave founder hints at developing ‘Twitter on Ethereum’

What the “Creator Economy” Promises—and What It Actually Does

J&J exploring putting talc liabilities into bankruptcy

Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:

The Pandemic Has a New Epicenter: Indonesia

Minneapolis Federal Reserve mandates COVID-16 vaccine for its employees

Boris Johnson Back In Quarantine

Just 12 People Spread Most Covid Disinformation

Athletes to sleep on ‘anti-sex’ cardboard beds at Olympic Games amid COVID, or not: 'Anti-Sex' Beds in the Olympic Village? A Social Media Theory is Soon Debunked

England’s ‘Freedom Day’ Marred by Surging Infections

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ‘freedom day’ ending over a year of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in England was marred on Monday by surging infections, warnings of supermarket shortages and his own forced self-isolation.
Johnson’s bet that he can get one of Europe’s largest economies firing again because so many people are now vaccinated marks a new chapter in the global response to the coronavirus. If the vaccines prove effective in reducing severe illness and deaths even while infections reach record levels, Johnson’s decision could offer a path out of the worst public health crisis in decades. If not, more lockdowns could loom.”

Politics:

Thai police use tear gas against anti-government protesters

Kicked To The Curb: Gaetz And Greene Hold Sidewalk ‘Protest’ After Three CA Venues Bail

Israeli spyware used to target phones of journalists and activists, investigation finds

US slams 'outrageous' comments from Iran over delay in nuclear and prisoner swap talks

California truck rules facing a test — in New Jersey

New Jersey wants to follow California’s lead, making it the second state to push what truck makers claim are ill-advised, if not impossible plans.

Auto and small-truck manufacturers had the same complaints about “impossible” when mileage requirements were passed into law; yet somehow they managed to redesign vehicles and comply.

Rich candidates use mystery money

Serendipity:

We’re Right on Schedule for Societal Collapse

A new hiking route between Europe and Asia

^{Image credit: the “art” (or whatever you want to call it) at the start of this post began as a photo I took last week up at Lake Superior, then digitally altered with DeepDreamGenerator.}