Breaking Down: Collapse

A look at various articles highlighting the ways in which we have doomed our waterways:Fears of ‘catastrophic’ decline of giant Australian cuttlefish after only 44 counted in dive survey | Marine life | The GuardianRomania shuts down nuclear reactor as Danube hits record lows – POLITICOGulf oil spill fast becoming one of world’s worst in years, agencies warn | The Straits Times'Environmental disaster' as one billion plastic pellets enter River Tyne - GeographicalEl Niño may peak at the worst time for the Amazon – and it should worry us all | Amazon rainforest | The GuardianRate of climate change affects stability of the AMOC | EurekAlert!

While some places are too hot with too little water, others are experiencing too much rainfall at once. Also, the floods of the future will have a combination of effects that will make them even more devastating.‘Unprecedented’ rain kills five in Japan as thousands stranded at airport | Japan | The Guardian‘I just want to find them’: deadly cloudbursts devastate Kashmir’s mountain communities | Kashmir | The GuardianTyphoon Dolphin: more than a million people evacuated in China as record rainfall dumped on Shanghai | Extreme weather | The GuardianThe floods of the future won't come one at a time » Yale Climate Connections

The last El Niño update was back in May, and it's time to straighten out some of the science behind the phenomenon, which has continued to gain strength: The 2026 El Niño Is A 1-in-12.5 Million Event : r/collapseWorld’s seas have hit hottest temperature on record for July, say scientists | Extreme heat | The GuardianEl Niño 2026: How Strong, and the La Niña That Follows | 4 Billion Years OnSuper El Niño Keeps Growing as New Forecasts Reach Record Territory Ahead of Winter » Severe Weather Europe

Sources:New DOJ Memo Gives Trump Sweeping Authority to Shield His Communications From Congress - Yahoo News UKTruth Social's $100,000-per-month subscription for early access to Trump posts is unconstitutional - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonUS appeals court blocks Trump's $400 million White House ballroom projectDC Circuit deals setback to Trump ballroom as Rao dissentsTrump Administration Has Repeatedly Confessed in Court to Withholding Money From Blue StatesData Center Foes’ Newest Tack: Sue Locals Over Approval ProcessExclusive: Former employee at Southern Poverty Law Center arrested on fraud charges | CNN PoliticsTy Cobb, Former Trump White House lawyer compares Todd Blanche being sworn in to Hitler consolidating power in 1934. : r/lawIn Confirming Blanche, Senators Endorse a Justice Dept. Under Trump’s Sway - The New York TimesICE’s New Detention Center Contracts Declare State Laws ‘Shall Not Apply’ | WIREDICE will release body camera video only when in agency's 'best interests' | AP NewsCongress Might Give ICE the Power to Go After ShopliftersStephen Miller: "The president is using his authority as commander as chief to sign an executive order using the new ruling the Supreme Court issued to expand the definition of people who are ineligible for birthright citizenship. That includes, for example, alien enemies..." : r/lawFeds Gave False Information About Journalist Arrested for Covering ICE | The New RepublicICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver electric shocks | AP NewsThe Trump Administration Has Lost 75 of 93 First Amendment Cases, Report Finds | TruthoutJudge's order may shed light on any plans for ICE at pollsFederal judge blocks Trump’s anti-mail voting executive order again — this time nationwide - Democracy DocketTrump DOJ says SCOTUS must stop judge's 'erroneous' orders

The good insects are disappearing, while we're left with the ones that make life harder. What gives?Flesh-eating screwworms feast on humans in Mexico; human cases top 500 - Ars TechnicaThe Ticks Are Winning – Mother JonesMountain insects are running out of room as the planet warmsWhere have all the wasps gone this summer?

A summary of the state of heatwaves and their impact on our health:Global Warming Has Accelerated Significantly - Foster - 2026 - Geophysical Research Letters - Wiley Online Library‘Stop all outdoor activities’: South Korea records its highest ever temperature | South Korea | The GuardianScorching Summers May Be Speeding Up How Fast Your Body AgesThree lions die of suspected heatstroke at Tokyo zoo as Japan swelters | Japan | The Guardian

An update on the state of drought throughout the world:EU considers emergency meeting as nuclear shutdown leaves Hungary facing energy crisis | Euronews‘Worst we’ve known’: UK turns to imports as drought and heat hit vegetable crops | Food & drink industry | The GuardianCalifornia drought may have pushed parts of the Sacramento Valley aquifer toward permanent collapseColorado declares town abandoned amid water and leadership crisis | Colorado | The GuardianItaly's Po River valley on drought alert‘Mini Dust Bowl’ could be forming in the US, expert warns. Will El Niño make it worse?Foreign firms taking billions of litres from UK aquifers to make bottled water | Water | The Guardian

In the midst of this crazy summer, let's take a look at the state of the wildfires around the globe.In the latest NOAA run for the Nino 3.4 region, published 30 July there is now no model run that peaks below 4.1°C. This is setting up for the most significant global climate event in 150 years : r/collapseFrance Blitzes Its All-Time Record for Area Burned by Wildfires : r/collapseFast-moving wildfires threaten city of Spokane, WA; National Guard activatedWashington’s wildfires are a warning for the entire U.S. | Scientific AmericanWildfires are raging – and the world has junked 45 climate pledges. Disaster looms, and little wonder | Bill McGuire | The Guardian

Taking a short break from the podcast to deal with some family matters - I will be back!In the meantime, here's a story highlighting institutional catabolic collapse from the perspective of the IRS.The IRS Is Imploding – Mother Jones