Glass Wings Blog

The Glass Wings mailing list and blog is for general idle chit-chat about things we find interesting, especially humor, animation or other subjects relevant to the Glass Wings web site.

Ultra-fast charging, kerbside charging and V2G projects share $21 million in Arena funding

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:43:17 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://thedriven.io/2025/12/12/ultra-fast-charging-kerbside-charging-and-v2g-projects-share-21-million-in-arena-funding/>

"Three projects targeting three key planks of electric vehicle integration –
kerb-side charging, ultra-fast charging and vehicle to grid charging – have won
federal government backing through Arena.

The United States CDC has abandoned science in its new advice about vaccines and autism

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:42:17 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://theconversation.com/the-united-states-cdc-has-abandoned-science-in-its-new-advice-about-vaccines-and-autism-271493>

"The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised
its long-standing guidance about vaccines and autism.

Austria votes to ban headscarves in schools for girls under 14

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:40:46 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/11/austria-votes-ban-headscarves-schools-girls-under-14>

"Lawmakers in Austria have voted overwhelmingly to ban headscarves in schools
for girls under the age of 14, despite concerns the legislation will deepen
societal divisions and marginalise Muslims. The law could also be struck down

Germany’s plan to deport Syrian refugees echoes 1980s effort to repatriate Turkish guest workers

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:39:23 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://theconversation.com/germanys-plan-to-deport-syrian-refugees-echoes-1980s-effort-to-repatriate-turkish-guest-workers-271475>

"For 14 years while Syria’s brutal civil war raged, Germany provided a safe
haven for those fleeing the violence. Now, a year after that conflict ended
with the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, many in Germany – including

NSW Health resists lower blood lead guidelines for children in Broken Hill, documents reveal

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:38:19 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/12/children-lead-exposure-broken-hill-nsw-health-resists-guidelines>

"NSW Health resisted government advice to strengthen protections for children
exposed to lead in Broken Hill, despite internal documents acknowledging that
far lower blood lead levels than those recognised in current guidelines can

‘Tough on crime’ policies are causing Indigenous people to die in custody

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:36:17 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://theconversation.com/tough-on-crime-policies-are-causing-indigenous-people-to-die-in-custody-271829>

"When a First Nations person dies in custody, it sends shockwaves through
families and communities. The trauma of losing a loved one adds to a sense of
despair that First Nations lives are expendable, that no one is held to

The social media ban is just the start of Australia’s forthcoming restrictions – and teens have legitimate concerns

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:48:16 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://theconversation.com/the-social-media-ban-is-just-the-start-of-australias-forthcoming-restrictions-and-teens-have-legitimate-concerns-271754>

"There has been massive global interest in the new social media legislation
introduced in Australia aimed at protecting children from the dangers of
doom‑scrolling and mental‑health risks potentially posed by these platforms

Politicians bank on people not caring about democracy – but research shows we do

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:47:20 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://theconversation.com/politicians-bank-on-people-not-caring-about-democracy-but-research-shows-we-do-271106>

"Across the world, democracies are grappling with a widening gap between
citizens and those who govern. Australia is no exception.

Is It Too Late?

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:46:09 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

https://sherrilyn.substack.com/p/is-it-too-late

Today we are facing the greatest hostility to the Fourteenth Amendment since
the post-Reconstruction period. Indeed, we are now in a period of full-blown
hostility to the project of multiracial democracy.

‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:42:43 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/11/australia-us-tourism-new-visa-rules-social-media-history>

"Australians are abandoning travel to the US, and boycotting World Cup matches
there next year, as the Trump administration flags new rules that will soon
require visitors to hand over their social media history when applying to enter