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.

Thailand bans imports of plastic waste to curb toxic pollution

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:07:27 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/07/thailand-bans-imports-plastic-waste-curb-toxic-pollution>

"Thailand has banned plastic waste imports over concerns about toxic pollution,
as experts warn that failure to agree a global treaty to cut plastic waste will
harm human health.

A Gigantic Wave in The Pacific Ocean Was The Most Extreme 'Rogue Wave' on Record

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:06:27 +1100

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

<https://www.sciencealert.com/a-gigantic-wave-in-the-pacific-ocean-was-the-most-extreme-rogue-wave-on-record>

"In November of 2020, a freak wave came out of the blue, lifting a lonesome
buoy off the coast of British Columbia 17.6 meters high (58 feet).

A new era of lies: Mark Zuckerberg has just ushered in an extinction-level event for truth on social media

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:05:15 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/07/new-era-of-lies-mark-zuckerberg-meta-social-media>

"Social media has always acted as something of a funhouse mirror to society as
a whole. The algorithms and amplifications of an always-online existence have
helped accentuate the worst parts of our lives, while tucking in and hiding the

Biocubes

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:04:06 +1100

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

https://biocubes.net/

"all life on Earth started from a chemical soup

after billions of years, it has turned into a diversity of biological and

Dog x-rays, art history and a ‘never say never’ attitude: the surprising toolbox of professional conservators

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:02:38 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/jan/08/dog-x-rays-art-history-and-a-never-say-never-attitude-the-surprising-toolbox-of-professional-conservators>

"When Cecilia Giménez noticed a flaking and faded painting on the wall of her
local church in 2012, her decision to pick up a paintbrush would result in one
of the world’s most infamous cases of art restoration.

Businesses can’t escape the AI revolution – so here’s how to build a culture of safe and responsible use

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:01:34 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/businesses-cant-escape-the-ai-revolution-so-heres-how-to-build-a-culture-of-safe-and-responsible-use-246024>

"In November 2023, the estates of two now-deceased policyholders sued the US
health insurer, United Healthcare, for deploying what they allege is a flawed
artificial intelligence (AI) system to systematically deny patient claims.

China’s economy took centre stage in Xi’s new year address, spinning slow growth as a ‘remarkable’ achievement

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:15:48 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/chinas-economy-took-centre-stage-in-xis-new-year-address-spinning-slow-growth-as-a-remarkable-achievement-246654>

"Chinese president Xi Jinping delivered his annual televised new year address
on December 31, and commentators have been quick to share their interpretation.
Some have emphasised Xi’s passing reference to Chinese reunification as a

The maker of the electric USPS truck is also building garbage robots and EV firefighters

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:14:21 +1100

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

<https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/7/24337602/oshkosh-usps-ev-fire-garbage-robot>

"Oshkosh, the 108-year-old American company that makes military vehicles and
other specialty equipment, has big plans for your neighborhood.

Food travels through many cold spaces on its journey to our plate. Here's how refrigeration was invented

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:13:04 +1100

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

<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-08/history-of-refrigeration-cold-chain-nicola-twilley/104614030>

'Roughly three-quarters of our food passes through some kind of refrigeration
on its journey from harvest to supermarket.

From the ashes: how a mayor beat the loggers to turn the Amazon green again

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:10:53 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/07/brazil-amazon-paragominas-deforestation-landgrabs-shootouts-logging-slash-burn-farming-green-sustainability>

"It’s 9am and the sun is already high above a parched Amazon. Not even stray
dogs are out on the asphalt in Paragominas today, but Adnan Demachki knows just
the retreat. Turning right off state highway PA-125, the former mayor and