Glass Wings Blog: September 2023

Cooking (and heating) without gas: what are the impacts of shifting to all-electric homes?

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:28:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/cooking-and-heating-without-gas-what-are-the-impacts-of-shifting-to-all-electric-homes-210649>

"Gas connections for all new housing and sub-divisions will be banned in
Victoria from January 1 next year. The long-term result of the state
government’s significant change to planning approvals will be all-electric

(More...)

Out of danger because the UN said so? Hardly – the Barrier Reef is still in hot water

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:29:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/out-of-danger-because-the-un-said-so-hardly-the-barrier-reef-is-still-in-hot-water-210787>

"Today is a good day to be Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. UNESCO, the
United Nations body expected to vote on whether to list the Great Barrier Reef
as “in danger”, instead deferred the decision for another year. This, an

(More...)

The costs of distraction

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:31:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://lessig.medium.com/the-costs-of-distraction-a5d982e0df65

"I floated this image on Twitter to test the reaction it would trigger. That
reaction was as I suspected. The challenge to express the point latent in the
image — a point I think we all must focus — is as clear now as it was before.

(More...)

Hiroshima attack marks its 78th anniversary – its lessons of unnecessary mass destruction could help guide future nuclear arms talks

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:32:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/hiroshima-attack-marks-its-78th-anniversary-its-lessons-of-unnecessary-mass-destruction-could-help-guide-future-nuclear-arms-talks-210115>

"It was 8:15 on a Monday morning, Aug. 6, 1945. World War II was raging in
Japan.

(More...)

Notes on Japan

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:33:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://aguntasolo.co/notes-on-japan-609ee179fab5

"I spent a week in Japan — a country I’ve wanted to visit for the longest time
and which holds all sorts of fascination for me — with my wife.

(More...)

Antarctica is missing a chunk of sea ice bigger than Greenland – what’s going on?

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 11:34:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/antarctica-is-missing-a-chunk-of-sea-ice-bigger-than-greenland-whats-going-on-210665>

"Deadly heatwaves, raging wildfires and record global temperatures are upon us.
But far from the flames, at the southernmost tip of the planet, something just
as shocking is unfolding.

(More...)

Cancelling Antarctic climate research will damage Australia’s reputation, experts say

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:39:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/02/cancelling-antarctic-climate-research-will-damage-australias-reputation-experts-say>

"Australia’s international reputation and diplomatic influence will be damaged
unless the federal government intervenes to ensure crucial climate change
research in Antarctica is not cancelled, international lawyers and

(More...)

Criminalising and prosecuting torture could deter practices such as solitary confinement in detention

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:40:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/criminalising-and-prosecuting-torture-could-deter-practices-such-as-solitary-confinement-in-detention-206665>

"According to the most recent statistics from 2020–21, 640 children and 42,090
adults were detained each day across Australia. Of those, 337 children and
12,599 adults were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

(More...)

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors Put Dollar Sign Dreams In Nuclear Industry’s Eyes

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:41:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-future-is-electric/small-modular-nuclear-reactors-put-dollar-sign-dreams-in-nuclear-industrys-eyes-81cda3419fa4>

"Like hydrogen, small modular nuclear reactors have been seeing a resurgence of
interest lately. Much of that is driven by governmental policies and
investments focusing on the technology. Much of it comes from the nuclear

(More...)

Here’s how wastewater facilities could tackle food waste, generate energy and slash emissions

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:42:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/heres-how-wastewater-facilities-could-tackle-food-waste-generate-energy-and-slash-emissions-210560>

"Most Australian food waste ends up in landfill. Rotting in the absence of
oxygen produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. While some facilities capture
this “landfill gas” to produce energy, or burn it off to release carbon dioxide

(More...)

The Weird Trademark Issue That Shows Up In The Harlan Crow / Clarence Thomas Mess

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:43:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/07/31/the-weird-trademark-issue-that-shows-up-in-the-harlan-crow-clarence-thomas-mess/>

"I didn’t think we had much reason to write about all of the Harlan Crow /
Clarence Thomas stuff that I’m sure you’ve read elsewhere. But the latest (in a
now increasingly long series) of mind-blowing revelations from ProPublica

(More...)

Why is Australia having such a warm winter? A climate expert explains

Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:45:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-is-australia-having-such-a-warm-winter-a-climate-expert-explains-210693>

"If you’ve been out and about the past few days, you may have noticed Australia
is experiencing an unseasonably warm winter. It’s been t-shirt weather across
many parts of the country’s east, including Sydney where temperatures topped

(More...)

Dismay as Rishi Sunak vows to ‘max out’ UK fossil fuel reserves

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:18:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/31/dismay-as-rishi-sunak-vows-to-max-out-uk-fossil-fuel-reserves>

"Rishi Sunak has pledged to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves as he
revealed a new round of intensive North Sea drilling, which experts said could
be catastrophic for the climate.

(More...)

Recycling is a Lie. Plastic Manufacturers Spent $1B to Make You Think It’s Working

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:19:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://aninjusticemag.com/recycling-is-a-lie-plastic-manufacturers-spent-1b-to-make-you-think-its-working-e07c8fbbd454>

"In 1977, residents of New Zealand discovered plastic littering their beaches.
In response to the growing crisis, policymakers began discussing how to reduce
the public’s growing dependence on plastic.

(More...)

‘Everything you’ve been told is a lie!’ Inside the wellness-to-fascism pipeline

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:23:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/aug/02/everything-youve-been-told-is-a-lie-inside-the-wellness-to-facism-pipeline>

"Jane – not her real name – is nervous about speaking to me. She has asked that
I don’t identify her or the small, south-coast Devon town in which she lives.
“I’m feeling disloyal, because I’m talking about people I’ve known for 30 to 40

(More...)

Fisker Ocean: The Cure To Boring Overpriced SUVs?

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:24:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6s4W3RYvj4

"Jack goes for a drive in the long-awaited Fisker Ocean SUV. With the longest
range of any electric SUV, a smaller carbon footprint than any of its rivals
and some seriously funky features, including California mode, could this be our

(More...)

Social media can in fact be made better: Research shows it is possible to reward users for sharing accurate information instead of misinformation

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:25:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/social-media-can-in-fact-be-made-better-research-shows-it-is-possible-to-reward-users-for-sharing-accurate-information-instead-of-misinformation-209676>

"Is social media designed to reward people for acting badly?

The answer is clearly yes, given that the reward structure on social media

(More...)

Kickstarter: Introducing Our AI Policy

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 04:28:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://updates.kickstarter.com/introducing-our-new-ai-policy/

"In the past year, there's been a lot of discussion about AI. It's particularly
top of mind for creatives – some who are exploring ways that AI can enhance
their work and others who are thinking through what the latest advancements

(More...)

National Gallery of Australia hands back ninth-century Cambodian sculptures it believes were stolen

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:29:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/aug/03/national-gallery-of-australia-hands-back-ninth-century-cambodian-sculptures-it-believes-were-stolen>

"The National Gallery of Australia has agreed to hand back one of the
highlights of its Asian collection to the Cambodian government, a trio of
9th-century Cham sculptures, that it now believes were looted and illegally

(More...)

Wild bird feeding surged worldwide during lockdowns. That’s good for people, but not necessarily for the birds

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:31:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/wild-bird-feeding-surged-worldwide-during-lockdowns-thats-good-for-people-but-not-necessarily-for-the-birds-210628>

"Feeding wild birds in backyards was already known to be extremely popular in
many parts of the northern hemisphere and in Australia, despite being strongly
discouraged. But the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns led to a dramatic increase in

(More...)

Climate crisis: Australia must ready for ‘devastating’ regional disruption, MPs told

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:32:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/03/climate-crisis-australia-must-ready-for-devastating-regional-disruption-mps-told>

"Australia must prepare for “devastating” climate-fuelled disruption in the
Asia Pacific, including failed states, forced migration and regional conflicts
over water shortages, a stark briefing for federal politicians warns.

(More...)

A carbon tax can have economic, not just environmental benefits for Australia

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:33:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/a-carbon-tax-can-have-economic-not-just-environmental-benefits-for-australia-210380>

"A new study has found that a carbon tax, accompanied by “revenue recycling”,
can produce both environmental and economic benefits for Australia.

(More...)

Amazon deforestation falls over 60% compared with last July, says Brazilian minister

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:34:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/02/amazon-deforestation-falls-over-60-compared-with-last-july-says-brazilian-minister>

"Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by at least 60% in July compared to
the same month last year, the environment minister, Marina Silva, has told the
Guardian.

(More...)

Unique study shows we can train wild predators to hunt alien species they’ve never seen before

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 11:36:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/unique-study-shows-we-can-train-wild-predators-to-hunt-alien-species-theyve-never-seen-before-210644>

"Humans have trained domestic animals for thousands of years, to help with
farming, transport, or hunting.

(More...)

Jim Larkin, Backpage Exec, Dies By Suicide A Week Before His Trial

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:33:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/02/jim-larkin-backpage-exec-dies-by-suicide-a-week-before-his-trial/>

"Some unfortunate news. AZ Central reported yesterday that James Larkin, who
was a free speech pioneer who built an alt-weekly newspaper empire, and then
spun out the controversial classifieds ads site Backpage, died by suicide, one

(More...)

Leaving dog and cat poo lying around isn’t just gross. It’s a problem for native plants and animals, too

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:35:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/leaving-dog-and-cat-poo-lying-around-isnt-just-gross-its-a-problem-for-native-plants-and-animals-too-208288>

"Dodging dog poo along the local path has become something of an Olympic sport
of late. I thought I’d count path-side dog poo on my bike ride the other day
and gave up after counting 30 piles in the first kilometre. It really does feel

(More...)

How Farmers Used California’s Floods to Revive Underground Aquifers

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:35:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/california-historic-floods-farms-aquifer-recharge/>

"As an onslaught of storms soaked California with record-breaking rain last
winter, Christine Gemperle found herself crisscrossing her almond orchards in
knee-high muck boots and a slicker. She was out in the driving rain doing

(More...)

Call of the huia: how NZ’s bird of the century contest helps us express ‘ecological grief’

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:37:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/call-of-the-huia-how-nzs-bird-of-the-century-contest-helps-us-express-ecological-grief-210698>

"Humans typically reserve their practices of mourning for loved ones. But
extending these rituals of grief and loss to non-human animals (and our shared
habitats) can also help us appreciate being part of the natural world, not

(More...)

An Ancient Desert-Dwelling Culture Embraces Hydroponics

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:39:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/thar-desert-pastoralism-hydroponics-fodder/>

"On a morning in late July, Palu sits in the sandy yard of her brown house.
Nearby, in the shade of a sheesham tree, lies Kali, one of her cows. A monsoon
rain has just passed through, but now sunlight blazes down from the clear

(More...)

Meg 2: the truth about the extinct mega shark – and why even this ridiculous film could inspire future palaeontologists

Sat, 2 Sep 2023 19:40:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/meg-2-the-truth-about-the-extinct-mega-shark-and-why-even-this-ridiculous-film-could-inspire-future-palaeontologists-210751>

"Otodus megalodon, the biggest shark of all time, has long captured the
imaginations of palaeontologists and the public alike. Scientific fascination
spawns from the sheer enormity of their fossilised teeth. As big as human hands

(More...)

Germany’s Cheap Transit Ticket Is Starting to Boost Train Trips

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:25:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-23/germany-s-cheap-transit-ticket-is-boosting-train-trips-dpa-says>

"Germany’s affordable public transit offer has successfully nudged some
consumers to ditch their cars for trains.

(More...)

Done with Twitter? Here are the best alternatives

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:26:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-twitter-alternative/

"As Twitter — or, as it's now been rebranded by owner Elon Musk, X —
continues to be plagued by controversy, many people are looking for a new
online home. The good news of course is there are many other social networks.

(More...)

How Afghan women secretly learn judo — over WhatsApp

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:27:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2023/7/21/how-afghan-women-secretly-learn-judo-over>

"Oslo, Norway - In a sprawling underground martial arts training centre in the
Haugerud neighbourhood in Norway’s capital, Oslo, Qudsia Khalili steps onto the
judo mat and comes face-to-face with her training partner.

(More...)

Npm Security Woes Continue Amidst a Series of CDN Attacks

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:29:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thenewstack.io/npm-security-woes-continue-amidst-a-series-of-cdn-attacks/>

"Seriously! It seems like every time I blink, the popular JavaScript package
manager, Node Package Manager (npm), has had a new security violation revealed.
Last year, WhiteSource, a leading open source security provider, declared a

(More...)

Here’s the truth about Sunak’s plans for the North Sea: he will sell out the planet to the dirtiest bidders

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:29:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/01/rishi-sunak-north-sea-planet-climate-crisis-plutocrats>

"To understand this moment, we have to recognise that there is an existential
struggle on both sides. While environmental scientists and activists fight for
the very survival of the habitable planet, the fossil fuel, meat and internal

(More...)

‘Winter is disappearing’: South America hit by ‘brutal’ unseasonal heatwave

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 03:31:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/south-america-winter-heatwave>

"Now should be South America’s bleak midwinter, but several parts of the
continent are experiencing an extraordinary unseasonal heatwave that scientists
believe offers a disturbing glimpse of a future of extreme weather.

(More...)

No more hydrogen trains | Rail company that launched world's first H2 line last year opts for all-electric future

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:16:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/no-more-hydrogen-trains-rail-company-that-launched-worlds-first-h2-line-last-year-opts-for-all-electric-future/2-1-1495801>

"The state-owned public transport company responsible for introducing the
world’s first hydrogen-only railway line last year has effectively ruled out
using any more H2 trains, saying that battery-electric models “are cheaper to

(More...)

More than 1,600 Australians pushed into homelessness each month as housing crisis deepens, report finds

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:17:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/03/more-than-1600-australians-pushed-into-homelessness-each-month-as-housing-crisis-deepens-report-finds>

"The housing crisis and rising financial stress are pushing more than 1,600
people into homelessness each month as demand for sheltering services soars, a
report has found.

(More...)

The Voice is a simple and enduring idea with a past – and a promise

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:18:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-voice-is-a-simple-and-enduring-idea-with-a-past-and-a-promise-210640>

"The Voice is a simple idea. The proposed amendment to Australia’s Constitution
is short and sweet.

(More...)

‘Limitless’ energy: how floating solar panels near the equator could power future population hotspots

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:19:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/limitless-energy-how-floating-solar-panels-near-the-equator-could-power-future-population-hotspots-210557>

"Vast arrays of solar panels floating on calm seas near the Equator could
provide effectively unlimited solar energy to densely populated countries in
Southeast Asia and West Africa.

(More...)

Niger junta cancels France military ties as Biden calls for Bazoum’s release

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:20:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/niger-coup-junta-joe-biden-mohamed-bazoum>

"Joe Biden has called for the immediate release of Niger’s elected president
and for the country’s democracy to be restored, in the highest profile
statement by the US since the coup that removed Mohamed Bazoum from power, as

(More...)

Batteries on wheels: EVs can deliver huge amount of low cost storage for wind and solar

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 11:21:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thedriven.io/2023/08/04/batteries-on-wheels-evs-can-deliver-huge-amount-of-low-cost-storage-for-wind-and-solar/>

"A new report from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has
highlighted the huge promise of electric vehicles as batteries on wheels,
potentially accounting for a huge amount of low cost energy storage to support

(More...)

Will Ghana’s gas gamble perpetuate a cycle of fossil-fuel related debt?

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:18:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/04/ghana-lng-imports-fossil-fuel-debt>

"John Gakpo has milled corn to make kenkey – a cornmeal dumpling and Ghana’s
staple food – in a dimly lit wooden shack in a suburb of the capital, Accra,
for 15 years.

(More...)

Australia’s biggest vehicle-to-grid charging station opened to back up wind and solar

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:20:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thedriven.io/2023/08/04/australias-biggest-vehicle-to-grid-charging-station-opened-to-back-up-wind-and-solar/>

"Australia’s biggest array of bi-directional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging
technology has been unveiled at South Australia’s Flinders University as part
of a landmark EV charging hub.

(More...)

Like ‘the tolling of a distant temple bell’, Ibuse Masuji’s Black Rain remembers the horrors of Hiroshima and warns of the inhumanity of war

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:20:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/like-the-tolling-of-a-distant-temple-bell-ibuse-masujis-black-rain-remembers-the-horrors-of-hiroshima-and-warns-of-the-inhumanity-of-war-205837>

"In May 2023, almost 80 years after its devastation by an atomic bomb,
Hiroshima again became the focus of world attention as the host city for the
49th G7 Summit.

(More...)

Floods turn world’s biggest heavy metal festival into mudbath

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:22:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/floods-turn-worlds-biggest-heavy-metal-festival-into-mudbath-wacken-open-air>

"Torrential rain in Germany has turned the grounds of the world’s largest heavy
metal festival into a mudbath, forcing organisers to turn many ticket holders
away.

(More...)

Do phrases like ‘global boiling’ help or hinder climate action?

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:22:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/do-phrases-like-global-boiling-help-or-hinder-climate-action-210960>

"Last week, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres coined an
arresting new term. The era of global warming has ended, he declared
dramatically, and the era of “global boiling” has arrived.

(More...)

The Plan Is There Is No Plan — We’re Supposed to “Learn to Live With” Collapse

Sun, 3 Sep 2023 19:24:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://eand.co/the-revenge-of-the-age-of-the-idiot-20fd7cb51606>

"Call it the Great Gaslighting of the 2020s. Take a glance at some of the
headlines above. “Climate change obsession is a mental disorder. “Your body can
build up tolerance to heat. Here’s how.” “With a few basic steps, most of us

(More...)

How Close Are Today’s Book Bans to Book Burnings?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:20:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://aninjusticemag.com/how-close-are-todays-book-bans-to-book-burnings-fcbba385d00e>

"I had a conversation with one of my customers this week. I sell books. I
support the lawsuits against my home state of Texas by publishers, educators,
and my colleagues. Our argument is that book rating systems like the one

(More...)

Nissan's Secret CHEAP Electric Car

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:20:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKoiqQtz3gU

"Elliot takes a spin in Nissan's Japan-only electric kei car: the Sakura. With
compact dimensions, ample interior space, nice squashy seats and a tantalising
price, could this EV be a hit for Nissan in other markets too?"

(More...)

Opinion: Long COVID is debilitating to me and 65 million other people. Where is the urgency to treat it?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:31:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-07-31/long-covid-prevalence-research-treatments>

"In a world where most pandemic safety protocols have evaporated, where is the
sense of urgency to treat, or at the very least support, people with long
COVID?

(More...)

French to get bonus to make do and mend clothes

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:32:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66174349

"France is launching a bonus scheme to persuade consumers to repair their
clothes and worn-out shoes rather than throwing them away and buying new ones.

(More...)

Immediate action is needed to reduce Hospital Acquired COVID-19 Infections and deaths

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:33:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://ozsage.org/media_releases/immediate-action-is-needed-to-reduce-hospital-acquired-covid-19-infections-and-deaths/>

"Patients have a right to safe healthcare, and to be protected, using all
reasonably practicable measures, from acquiring any type of infection,
including COVID-19, in healthcare facilities.

(More...)

The EPA’s plan to eliminate lead in buildings is a ‘gigantic leap forward’ for public health

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 03:34:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://grist.org/health/epa-rule-eliminate-lead-paint-buildings-homes/

"The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing strict standards on lead
paint that would prompt the removal of lead in millions of buildings, including
homes, schools, and daycare centers. The move was set in motion by a lawsuit

(More...)

Are luggage-free trips the future?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:22:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230730-are-luggage-free-trips-the-future>

"As summer ramps up in the northern hemisphere, many of us will begin packing
suitcases, carry-ons and duffel bags as we prepare to head away on holiday.

(More...)

Can You Smell Me Now? How ’Bout Now?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:23:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://hakaimagazine.com/news/can-you-smell-me-now-how-bout-now/

"Dungeness crabs hunt by flicking their chemical-detecting antennae to and fro.
Sensing the water—the underwater equivalent of sniffing the air—is a well-trod
strategy for homing in on potential prey. But that timeless tactic appears to

(More...)

Culture of Repair Connects Educators and Students Worldwide

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:24:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.ifixit.com/News/78914/culture-of-repair-connects-educators-and-students-worldwide>

"Believe it or not, back-to-school season is right around the corner. Even if
you’re not quite ready to trade in your lemonade for a pumpkin spice latte,
we’re already planning ahead for the new school year. Since 2009, iFixit has

(More...)

The big idea: is it too late to stop extremism taking over politics?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:25:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/31/the-big-idea-is-it-too-late-to-stop-extremism-taking-over-politics>

"Welcome to the 2020s, the beginning of what history books might one day
describe as the digital middle ages. Let’s briefly travel back to 2017. I
remember sitting in various government buildings briefing politicians and civil

(More...)

Traumatized Autistic Boy Called Transgender, Ejected From Cinema

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:27:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.li/T9Jhl

"Fifteen-year-old John Gallinaro is so traumatized he can’t sleep at night.
He’s afraid to use the bathroom at home by himself. His mom says he often
expresses fear of Nicole Nicolet, a Cinemark cinema manager in Hazlet, New

(More...)

Six months into Lula’s presidency, Amazon deforestation is dropping rapidly

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 11:28:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/six-months-into-lulas-presidency-amazon-deforestation-is-dropping-rapidly/>

"The rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen significantly
since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in January 2023, as revealed by
data released today from Brazil’s national space research institute, INPE.

(More...)

Point of no return: Australians fight for the right to work from home permanently

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:12:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/point-no-return-australians-fight-right-work-home-permanently-2023-08-01/>

'SYDNEY, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Before COVID-19 sent one-third of the global
workforce home, the Melbourne property surveyor that employs drone operator
Nicholas Coomber called its 180-strong staff into the office every day at 9

(More...)

Renewable energy deployment surge puts global power system on track for the IEA’s ambitious net-zero pathway

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:13:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://rmi.org/press-release/renewable-energy-deployment-puts-global-power-system-on-track-for-ambitious-net-zero-pathway/>

"Rapid growth in solar, wind and battery deployment means that by 2030 the
global electricity system can deliver ambitious net-zero pathways, according to
new research by RMI done in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund. This

(More...)

This E-Scooter Proves All The Stereotypes WRONG

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:14:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okIEMlZ4edk

"Jack goes for a ride on the latest version of Taur’s electric scooter,
designed to be one of the safest, most stable e-scooters you can buy. With its
chunky tyres, unique riding experience and punchy performance, is the Taur

(More...)

Biden-Harris Administration Launches $7 Billion Solar for All Grant Competition to Fund Residential Solar Programs that Lower Energy Costs for Families and Advance Environmental Justice Through Investing in America Agenda

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:15:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-launches-7-billion-solar-all-grant-competition-fund>

"WASHINGTON (June 28, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) launched a $7 billion grant competition through President Biden’s
Investing in America agenda to increase access to affordable, resilient, and

(More...)

Solar Farms Out at Sea Are Clean Energy’s Next Breakthrough

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:16:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/iMdDH

"Buffeted by waves as high as 10 meters (32 feet) in China’s Yellow Sea about
30 kilometers off the coast of Shandong province, two circular rafts carrying
neat rows of solar panels began generating electricity late last year, a

(More...)

How Many Things Must One Analyst Get Wrong In Order To Proclaim A Convenient Decarbonization Minerals Shortage?

Mon, 4 Sep 2023 19:18:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/07/04/how-many-things-must-one-analyst-get-wrong-in-order-to-proclaim-a-convenient-decarbonization-minerals-shortage/>

"Yesterday, as I’m writing this, Dave Borlace of Just Have a Think dropped a
new video. This one was debunking the somewhat infamous Simon Michaux un-peer
reviewed document which purported to prove that there weren’t enough minerals

(More...)

Climate change threatens Germany's fairy tale forests

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:21:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/2023/08/05/1191724399/climate-change-threatens-germanys-fairy-tale-forests>

'QUEDLINBURG, Germany – Andre Salamon wends his way through coniferous
woodlands on a hillside in Germany's central Harz region.

(More...)

Fighting junk fees is "woke"

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:23:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#more-5712

'"Populism" isn't intrinsically left or right. The distinction between the two
is often obscured by jargon, but there's a simple litmus test (courtesy of
Steven Brust): "ask what's more important: human rights, or property rights. If

(More...)

World’s largest ocean-going wooden sailing ship rescues sailboat

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:24:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://marineindustrynews.co.uk/gotheborg-of-sweden-rescues-sailboat/

"Two sailors who started drifting after losing their rudder have told of their
surreal experience when a replica 18th-century merchant ship arrived to rescue
them off the coast of France.

(More...)

400,000 trees planted in roadwork schemes have died

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:26:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/KnB0l

"More than 400,000 trees have died within years of being planted by National
Highways to compensate for road projects in England.

(More...)

A Global Web of Chinese Propaganda Leads to a U.S. Tech Mogul

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:27:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/05/world/europe/neville-roy-singham-china-propaganda.html>

"The protest in London’s bustling Chinatown brought together a variety of
activist groups to oppose a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. So it was peculiar
when a street brawl broke out among mostly ethnic Chinese demonstrators.

(More...)

In a US first, fossil fuel power plant workers will be retrained for offshore wind

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 04:28:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://electrek.co/2023/07/07/fossil-fuel-power-plant-ravenswood/

"Labor union members at New York’s Ravenswood Generating Station will become
the US’s first fossil fuel power plant workers to transition to operating
offshore wind equipment.

(More...)

Coal closures, battery storage, solar generation: The energy transition is everywhere

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:27:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://ieefa.org/resources/coal-closures-battery-storage-solar-generation-energy-transition-everywhere>

"It is easy to lose sight of the transformative change under way in the U.S.
electric sector in the daily news cycle, but that change is most definitely
occurring, and more quickly than many realize.

(More...)

Good news for climate comes from the world’s greatest user of coal

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:29:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/qgdV2

"In a season of record temperatures, fires and floods, there’s a glimmer of
hope that averting the worst of climate change might still be possible. China,
the world’s top carbon emitter and greatest user of coal, is rolling out

(More...)

Insight: Amazon rainforest gold mining is poisoning scores of threatened species

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:30:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/amazon-rainforest-gold-mining-is-poisoning-scores-threatened-species-2023-08-05/>

"LOS AMIGOS BIOLOGICAL STATION, Peru, Aug 5 (Reuters) - In a camping tent in
the Peruvian jungle, four scientists crowded around a tiny patient: An
Amazonian rodent that could fit in the palm of a human hand.

(More...)

Nuclear War Would Be Worse For Our Climate Than Predicted in The Cold War

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:32:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/nuclear-war-would-be-worse-for-our-climate-than-predicted-in-the-cold-war>

"Christopher Nolan's biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer has revived morbid
curiosity in the destructive power of nuclear weapons. There are now an
estimated 12,512 nuclear warheads.

(More...)

We need to defend Asgard and Valhalla

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:34:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2023/08/04/we_need_to_defend_asgard_and_valhalla/>

"The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, will be as many Icelanders
this weekend present at an outdoor festival. However, it is neither the popular
“Þjóðhátíð” in the Westman Islansd, nor “Innipúkinn” festival in Reykjavík

(More...)

What’s With All the Misogyny in Comedy?

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 11:35:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/bitchy/whats-with-all-the-misogyny-in-comedy-aceee2088f13>

"“You don’t look funny.”

This is a response I’ve gotten when I told someone I do standup comedy. I

(More...)

Volkswagen EV Sales Growing 50% In 2023

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:17:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/07/14/volkswagen-ev-sales-growing-50-in-2023/>

"Volkswagen Group’s electric transition is continuing at a good pace. Its pure
electric (BEV) sales were up nearly 50% in the first six months of 2023
compared to the first six months of 2022. They grew from 217,200 to 321,600.

(More...)

Hydrogen Is the Future—or a Complete Mirage

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:19:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/Tyhxr

"With the vast majority of the world’s governments committed to decarbonizing
their economies in the next two generations, we are embarked on a voyage into
the unknown. What was once an argument over carbon pricing and emissions

(More...)

Watch: Chipotle's New Kitchen Robot Can Peel and Core 25lbs of Avocados In Half the Time It Takes a Human

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:20:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://gizmodo.com/chipotle-autocado-guacamole-robot-avocados-1850631468>

"In 1864, David Goodell revolutionized kitchen food prep with the invention of
a hand-cranked device that could peel an apple in a matter of seconds. One
hundred and fifty-nine years later, Chipotle is introducing the next innovation

(More...)

Open Your Mind to Unicorn Meat

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:21:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/4kb86

"The chef presents me with a nugget of raw meat, tinged yellowish gray, then
takes it back and drops it in a pan. “Today, you’re going to be having our
whole-muscle chicken filet,” Daniel Davila tells me, searing the morsel. He

(More...)

90% of patients respond to new blood cancer treatment in trial

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:22:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.freethink.com/health/multiple-myeloma-car-t

"A new cancer therapy developed at Jerusalem’s Hadassah-University Medical
Center had a 90% response rate in a new clinical trial, with over half of
patients going into total remission. The CAR-T therapy — which arms the body’s

(More...)

Surgical and engineering innovations enable unprecedented control over every finger of a bionic hand

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 19:24:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230712165138.htm

"For the first time, a person with an arm amputation can manipulate each finger
of a bionic hand as if it was his own. Thanks to revolutionary surgical and
engineering advancements that seamlessly merge humans with machines, this

(More...)

The Long Reach of China’s Demographic Destiny

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:40:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.project-syndicate.org/onpoint/china-one-child-policy-economic-slowdown-us-trade-imbalance-by-yi-fuxian-2023-07>

"MADISON, WISCONSIN – The deterioration in US-China relations is ultimately due
to the bilateral trade imbalance and to US frustration with Chinese politics.
Both can be traced back to China’s one-child policy, which was in place from

(More...)

Even Republicans like Richard Nixon were once champions of the environment. What happened?

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:42:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.salon.com/2023/08/06/even-like-richard-nixon-were-once-champions-of-the-environment-what-happened/>

'Five days before astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot
upon the Moon, the American president who sent him there dispatched his Vice
President to go on an important mission of his own. Speaking to the American

(More...)

Is this the protein plant of the future? New study finds ‘sweetness gene’ that makes lupins tastier

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:43:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-this-the-protein-plant-of-the-future-new-study-finds-sweetness-gene-that-makes-lupins-tastier-210985>

"If you walk into a bar in Italy, you might be served a dish of salty,
nutritious snacks: lupin beans, a legume that has been eaten around the
Mediterranean and in parts of the Middle East and Africa for thousands of

(More...)

Eating Spaghetti Ice Cream in Germany

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:46:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOm4if6-nXI

"You don’t need a fork to eat this plate of spaghetti. Just a spoon will do.
And that’s because it’s not actually spaghetti. It’s Spaghettieis—vanilla ice
cream noodles topped with strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings. Dario

(More...)

Is red meat bad for you? And does it make a difference if it’s a processed burger or a lean steak?

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:47:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-red-meat-bad-for-you-and-does-it-make-a-difference-if-its-a-processed-burger-or-a-lean-steak-207927>

"A juicy burger is a staple in many Australians’ diet. Yet research shows
regularly eating red meat can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
heart disease and certain cancers.

(More...)

Hours on hold, repeated calls, months of delay: Maryanne’s struggle to get urgent jobseeker payments

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 03:49:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/07/centrelink-call-waiting-time-processing-delays-wait-jobseeker-income-support-payment>

"When Maryanne Watts applied for jobseeker earlier this year, she knew it
wouldn’t be a smooth process. She had been a Centrelink worker in the 1990s and
had received income support in recent years.

(More...)

The PhD student game

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:07:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://research.wmz.ninja/projects/phd/index.html

Via Muse, who wrote "Evidently you can win this game, but what a demotivator
for post-grads!"

(More...)

How climate change will affect your pet – and how to help them cope

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:08:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-will-affect-your-pet-and-how-to-help-them-cope-210724>

"Earth has just experienced its hottest month since records began and Australia
is now gearing up for an El Niño-fuelled summer. Extreme heat isn’t just
challenging for humans – it brings suffering to our beloved pets, too.

(More...)

US dispatches warships after China and Russia send naval patrol near Alaska

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:09:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/06/us-navy-warships-china-russia-naval-patrol-near-alaska>

"The US dispatched four navy warships as well as a reconnaissance airplane
after multiple Chinese and Russian military vessels carried out a joint naval
patrol near Alaska last week.

(More...)

Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad watched Saddam’s statue topple in 2003. His ‘standout’ war memoir de-centres the West

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:11:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/iraqi-journalist-ghaith-abdul-ahad-watched-saddams-statue-topple-in-2003-his-standout-war-memoir-de-centres-the-west-203962>

"Review: A Stranger in Your Own City: Travels in the Middle East’s Long War
– Ghaith Abdul-Ahad (Hutchinson Heinemann)

(More...)

Between the World Cup and Barbie, we’re finally having an honest discussion about girlhood

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:12:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/07/between-the-world-cup-and-barbie-were-finally-having-an-honest-discussion-about-girlhood>

"The tears came the night the Australians beat Canada in the Women’s World Cup.

It wasn’t at the beginning of the match, with anxiety, when the Matildas

(More...)

In 1951, corroboree dancers in Darwin went on strike: their actions would reverberate as far as Melbourne

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 12:14:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/in-1951-corroboree-dancers-in-darwin-went-on-strike-their-actions-would-reverberate-as-far-as-melbourne-208023>

"“No Fred – No Lawrence – No Corroboree” ran the February 16 1951 headline in
the Darwin newspaper The Northern Standard.

(More...)

Consulting firm KPMG overcharged Defence while raking in billions of dollars, whistleblowers say

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:35:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-07/kpmg-consultants-overcharging-defence-four-corners/102644518>

'Consulting giant KPMG has been accused by two whistleblowers of repeatedly
ripping off taxpayers while contracted by the Department of Defence —
submitting inflated invoices and billing the federal government for hours never

(More...)

How algae conquered the world – and other epic stories hidden in the rocks of the Flinders Ranges

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:36:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-algae-conquered-the-world-and-other-epic-stories-hidden-in-the-rocks-of-the-flinders-ranges-207152>

"Earth was not always so hospitable. Evidence of how it came to be so beautiful
and nurturing is locked in the rocks of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges – a
site now vying for World Heritage listing.

(More...)

America's largest hospital chain has an algorithmic death panel

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:37:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/05/any-metric-becomes-a-target/#hca

'It's not that conservatives aren't sometimes right – it's that even when
they're right, they're highly selective about it. Take the hoary chestnut
that "incentives matter," trotted out to deny humane benefits to poor people on

(More...)

Putin’s Forever War

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:38:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.li/jpDpj

"Through towering pine forests and untouched meadows, the road to Lake Baikal
in southern Siberia winds past cemeteries where bright plastic flowers mark the
graves of Russians killed in Ukraine. Far from the Potemkin paradise of Moscow,

(More...)

‘City killers’ and half-giraffes: how many scary asteroids really go past Earth every year?

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:39:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/city-killers-and-half-giraffes-how-many-scary-asteroids-really-go-past-earth-every-year-208838>

"Asteroids are chunks of rock left over from the formation of our Solar System.
Approximately half a billion asteroids with sizes greater than four metres in
diameter orbit the Sun, travelling through our Solar System at speeds up to

(More...)

Australia will soon have its first Islamic bank. What does this mean, and what are the challenges?

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 18:40:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/australia-will-soon-have-its-first-islamic-bank-what-does-this-mean-and-what-are-the-challenges-201867>

"Islamic banks have become an integral part of the financial system in many
Muslim-majority countries, as well as in nations with sizeable Muslim
minorities such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

(More...)

Gen Z and the Future of English

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:52:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/@mattbarros_42186/gen-z-and-the-future-of-english-2ff90ab67412>

"A common misconception about language is the idea that kids, these days, are
ruining English or “dumbing it down.” The kids in question these days, The
Year of our Lord, 2023, are Generation Z (“Gen Z” for short), born roughly

(More...)

Dinosaur tracksite in Lesotho: how a wrong turn led to an exciting find

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:54:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/dinosaur-tracksite-in-lesotho-how-a-wrong-turn-led-to-an-exciting-find-208963>

"I am a poor navigator. This is not an easy thing for a field geologist to
admit. We need to be able to find our planned area of interest in good time and
make our way back to our potentially hidden and distant vehicles at the end of

(More...)

Academic Book About Emojis Can’t Include The Emojis It Talks About Because Of Copyright

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:55:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/04/academic-book-about-emojis-cant-include-the-emojis-it-talks-about-because-of-copyright/>

"Ah, copyright. Eric Goldman alerts us to to a new bit of copyright nonsense.
Jieun Kiaer, an Oxford professor of Korean linguistics, recently published an
academic book called Emoji Speak: Communications and Behaviours on Social

(More...)

Bram Moolenaar, Author of the Open Source Vim Code Editor, Has Died

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:56:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thenewstack.io/bram-moolenaar-author-of-the-open-source-vim-code-editor-has-died/>

"The creator of one of the most popular programming editors of all time, Vim,
has died after a brief illness. :wq.

(More...)

One of 2023’s most extreme heatwaves is happening in the middle of winter

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:57:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/one-of-2023s-most-extreme-heatwaves-is-happening-in-the-middle-of-winter-211062>

"Temperatures in parts of Chile and northern Argentina have soared to 10°C-20°C
above average over the last few days. Towns in the Andes mountains have reached
38°C or more, while Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, saw temperatures above

(More...)

Will A.I. become the new McKinsey?

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 03:59:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://wadler.blogspot.com/2023/08/ted-chiang-ever-thoughtful-suggests-new.html>

"Ted Chiang, ever thoughtful, suggests a new metaphor for A.I. Published in
The New Yorker.

(More...)

I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated Than This (Or: Why Goodreads and Amazon Are Becoming Dumpster Fires)

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:24:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://janefriedman.com/i-would-rather-see-my-books-pirated/

"There’s not much that makes me angry these days about writing and publishing.
I’ve seen it all. I know what to expect from Amazon and Goodreads. Meaning: I
don’t expect much, and I assume I will be continually disappointed. Nor do I

(More...)

Conflict between humans and wildlife in Tanzania is being poorly managed – and climate change is making things worse

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:25:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/conflict-between-humans-and-wildlife-in-tanzania-is-being-poorly-managed-and-climate-change-is-making-things-worse-210332>

"Human-wildlife conflicts are a challenge for authorities in African countries
where people live near protected areas. Programmes for communities to
participate in wildlife tourism and share its benefits have been put forward as

(More...)

Why Don't We Make Cars Like This Any More??

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:26:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFfAuL5X9qg

"Jack goes for a drive in an old Citroen that's really neither old, nor a
Citroen. The creation of Bristol-based 2CV shop, 'Evie' is brand new electric
delivery van, and a masterclass in lightweight simplicity. Could this charming

(More...)

The U.S. at a crossroads: How Donald Trump is criminalizing American politics

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:26:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-u-s-at-a-crossroads-how-donald-trump-is-criminalizing-american-politics-210946>

"Donald Trump has made history again. He is the first president of the United
States charged with attempting to overturn a presidential election, violating
the rights of citizens to have their votes counted, tampering with a witness

(More...)

Welcome to the Golden Age of DnD-Inspired Fantasy Romance!

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:27:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.tor.com/2023/08/07/welcome-to-the-golden-age-of-dnd-inspired-fantasy-romance/>

"In this age of ever-expanding nerdery, there is a fantasy romance book for
every type of geek—including, of course, those of us who love a good tabletop
role-playing game like Dungeons & Dragons. To understand the existence of

(More...)

Many global corporations will soon have to police up and down their supply chains as EU human rights ‘due diligence’ law nears enactment

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 11:28:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/many-global-corporations-will-soon-have-to-police-up-and-down-their-supply-chains-as-eu-human-rights-due-diligence-law-nears-enactment-202706>

"The European Union will soon require thousands of large companies to actively
look for and reduce human rights abuses and environmental damage in their
supply chains. And although it’s an EU law, it will also cover foreign

(More...)

‘It’s soul-destroying’: how people on a housing wait list of 175,000 describe their years of waiting

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:38:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/its-soul-destroying-how-people-on-a-housing-wait-list-of-175-000-describe-their-years-of-waiting-210705>

"Nationally, about 175,000 households are on the social housing waiting list.
An individual usually has to be in “greatest need” to get on the list. Even
then, being listed does not mean you will be given the keys to a home any time

(More...)

‘We’re running out’: decline of Australia’s piano tuners hits a sore note

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:39:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/08/piano-tuning-tuners-technicians-australia>

"When David Kinney is tuning a piano he’s doing more than simply finding the
correct notes: he is searching for its voice. Kinney has been the piano
technical manager at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2010. His ability

(More...)

Biden to create monument around the Grand Canyon

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:40:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/08/biden-to-create-monument-around-grand-canyon-ee-00110197>

"President Joe Biden on Tuesday will create a new national monument in Arizona
covering close to a million acres of lands surrounding the Grand Canyon
important to nearby Native American tribes.

(More...)

How air travellers can cut their door-to-door emissions right now – by as much as 13% on the Sydney-Melbourne route

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:42:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-air-travellers-can-cut-their-door-to-door-emissions-right-now-by-as-much-as-13-on-the-sydney-melbourne-route-211099>

"Our climate is changing, and airlines are under pressure to reduce emissions
from air travel. For many of us, especially in Australia, flying is an
essential form of transport, so how can we reduce its environmental impact?

(More...)

Legal reprieve for asylum seekers ordered to live on Dorset barge

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:43:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/07/legal-reprieve-asylum-seekers-bibby-stockholm-dorset-barge>

"People seeking refuge who were ordered to live on a controversial giant barge
have been reprieved after legal challenges claimed the vessel was unsafe and
unsuitable for traumatised people.

(More...)

Controversial ‘forever chemicals’ could be phased out in Australia under new restrictions. Here’s what you need to know

Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:44:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/controversial-forever-chemicals-could-be-phased-out-in-australia-under-new-restrictions-heres-what-you-need-to-know-210697>

"There’s growing global concern about potential risks to human health and the
environment from a group of industrial chemicals commonly known as PFAS, or
“forever chemicals”.

(More...)

Extinction alert issued over critically endangered vaquita

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 03:57:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/07/extinction-alert-issued-over-critically-endangered-vaquita>

"The International Whaling Commission has issued the first “extinction alert”
in its 70-year history, to warn of the danger facing the vaquita, the world’s
tiniest and most critically endangered marine mammal.

(More...)

6 reasons Australians don’t trust economists, and how we could do better

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 03:58:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/6-reasons-australians-dont-trust-economists-and-how-we-could-do-better-208833>

"Economics is about organising markets in ways that contribute to social
welfare, which means anyone interested in anything from inequality to housing
affordability, to health and education systems, or climate change to gender

(More...)

Stop Recycling — You’re Killing the Planet

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 04:00:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://amandaclaypool.medium.com/stop-recycling-youre-killing-the-planet-f71dd720c075>

"True story: I used to be a recycler.

I spent most of 2021 driving around the United States living in my car. I

(More...)

Plastic rocks, plutonium, and chicken bones: the markers we’re laying down in deep time

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 04:00:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/plastic-rocks-plutonium-and-chicken-bones-the-markers-were-laying-down-in-deep-time-209788>

"Rocks keep time. Not on our human-scale time, but deep time: the almost
unimaginable span of billions of years which have already come and gone.

(More...)

On its 100th birthday in 1959, Edward Teller warned the oil industry about global warming

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 04:03:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jan/01/on-its-hundredth-birthday-in-1959-edward-teller-warned-the-oil-industry-about-global-warming>

"It was a typical November day in New York City. The year: 1959. Robert Dunlop,
50 years old and photographed later as clean-shaven, hair carefully parted, his
earnest face donning horn-rimmed glasses, passed under the Ionian columns of

(More...)

The working-from-home debate gets old

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 04:04:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.computerworld.com/article/3704129/the-working-from-home-debate-gets-old.html>

"Way too many bosses are sure that remote work hurts worker productivity.
According to a Microsoft international survey of 20,000 people, "85% of leaders
say that the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence

(More...)

Cats first finagled their way into human hearts and homes thousands of years ago – here’s how

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:45:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/cats-first-finagled-their-way-into-human-hearts-and-homes-thousands-of-years-ago-heres-how-208909>

"A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go on safari in southern Africa. One
of the greatest thrills was going out at night looking for predators on the
prowl: lions, leopards, hyenas.

(More...)

Spooky, stealthy night hunters: revealing the wonderful otherworld of owls

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:46:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/spooky-stealthy-night-hunters-revealing-the-wonderful-otherworld-of-owls-209498>

"The calls of owls come to me most nights through the open window of my
bedroom. Mostly it is the soft, repeated, rhythmic more … pork, more … pork of
a pair of boobooks.

(More...)

Amazon nations launch alliance to protect rainforest at key summit

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:47:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/9/amazon-nations-launch-alliance-to-protect-rainforest-at-key-summit>

"Eight South American countries have agreed to launch an alliance to protect
the Amazon, pledging at a summit in Brazil to stop the world’s biggest
rainforest from reaching “a point of no return”.

(More...)

Could an afternoon nap help us cope with hotter temperatures? It’s worked for Australia’s First Nations people

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:48:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/could-an-afternoon-nap-help-us-cope-with-hotter-temperatures-its-worked-for-australias-first-nations-people-211186>

"When it’s hot outside, it’s safer to head for air-conditioned shelter – right?

Not always.

(More...)

Many people feel they work in pointless, meaningless jobs, research confirms

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:49:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://phys.org/news/2023-08-people-pointless-meaningless-jobs.html

'The theory that many people feel the work they do is pointless because their
jobs are "bullshit" has been confirmed by a new study.

(More...)

People are pretending to be ‘NPCs’ on TikTok and it’s not just weird, it’s also lucrative

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 12:50:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/people-are-pretending-to-be-npcs-on-tiktok-and-its-not-just-weird-its-also-lucrative-210795>

"The one constant the internet offers us is a continual rotation of trends.
Months ago, the trend was people exhibiting “main character energy”. People
were imagining themselves as main characters in their own life show: they were

(More...)

Worldcoin is scanning eyeballs to build a global ID and finance system. Governments are not impressed

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:28:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/worldcoin-is-scanning-eyeballs-to-build-a-global-id-and-finance-system-governments-are-not-impressed-210980>

"Millions of people worldwide are lining up to stare into a silver sphere about
the size of a bowling ball so their irises can be scanned in exchange for
online identity verification and “free” cryptocurrency.

(More...)

Sydney’s drinking water quality under threat from climate crisis, report finds

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:38:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/09/sydneys-drinking-water-quality-under-threat-from-climate-crisis-report-finds>

"Sydney’s drinking water is unlikely to remain healthy unless the effects of
the climate crisis are mitigated, according to a report handed to the New South
Wales government.

(More...)

Australia’s new development aid policy provides clear vision and strategic sense

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:39:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/australias-new-development-aid-policy-provides-clear-vision-and-strategic-sense-210976>

"Why does Australia provide development assistance to other countries? Is it
charity or geostrategic self-interest?

(More...)

‘Ghost flights’: Qatar Airways flying near-empty planes in Australia to exploit legal loophole

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:40:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/09/ghost-flights-qatar-airways-flying-near-empty-planes-in-australia-to-exploit-legal-loophole>

"Qatar Airways has been flying near-empty and sometimes entirely empty large
passenger jets every day between Melbourne and Adelaide to exploit a loophole
allowing it to run extra flights to Australia.

(More...)

Sophie Trevitt’s indomitable spirit and deep commitment to equity will continue to shape the world she left behind

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:43:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/09/sophie-trevitts-indomitable-spirit-and-deep-commitment-to-equity-will-continue-to-shape-the-world-she-left-behind>

"Sophie Trevitt, a remarkable advocate for social justice, died on 27 July 2023
at the age of 32.

(More...)

Myanmar junta reducing Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence is an empty gesture from a failing state

Fri, 8 Sep 2023 19:44:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/myanmar-junta-reducing-aung-san-suu-kyis-sentence-is-an-empty-gesture-from-a-failing-state-210809>

"In a general amnesty announced on military television last week, Myanmar’s
military junta removed six years from the jail term of Aung San Suu Kyi, the
78-year-old leader of the government removed by a coup in February 2021. This

(More...)

Recovery of Great Barrier Reef stalls as scientists point to bleaching, disease and starfish attacks

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:02:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/09/recovery-of-great-barrier-reef-stalls-as-scientists-point-to-bleaching-disease-and-starfish-attacks>

"A recovery in the number of corals growing on the Great Barrier Reef over
recent years has paused, with government scientists blaming bleaching, disease
and attacks by starfish.

(More...)

What is POTS? And how is it related to long COVID?

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:03:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-is-pots-and-how-is-it-related-to-long-covid-208280>

"POTS or “postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome” is a poorly recognised
condition we’ve been hearing more about recently.

(More...)

Fears over Antarctic sea ice as yearly ozone layer hole forms ‘very early’

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:04:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/08/fears-over-antarctic-sea-ice-as-yearly-ozone-layer-hole-forms-very-early>

"The hole in the ozone layer has begun to form early this year, prompting
warnings that a larger-than-average hole may further warm the Southern Ocean
while the level of Antarctic sea ice is at a record low.

(More...)

Darwin’s ‘sustainable’ Middle Arm project reveals Australia’s huge climate policy gamble

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:05:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/darwins-sustainable-middle-arm-project-reveals-australias-huge-climate-policy-gamble-206000>

"Protesters rallied at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, railing against
Darwin’s controversial Middle Arm venture which critics say would benefit the
gas industry.

(More...)

July was world’s hottest month on record, climate scientists confirm

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:06:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/08/july-2023-worlds-hottest-month-climate-crisis-scientists-confirm>

"July has been confirmed as the hottest month on record globally after several
heatwaves in parts of Europe, according to the Copernicus Climate Change
Service (C3S).

(More...)

In the future, we could snuff out cyclones. But weather control comes with new risks

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 03:07:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/in-the-future-we-could-snuff-out-cyclones-but-weather-control-comes-with-new-risks-210788>

"Right now, people in coastal China are fleeing successive typhoons. Parts of
the Philippines are awash.

(More...)

Brazilian president Lula pledges ‘new Amazon dream’ at rainforest summit

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:07:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/08/brazilian-president-lula-pledges-new-amazon-dream-at-rainforest-summit>

"The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has vowed to haul the
Amazon out of centuries of violence, economic “plundering” and environmental
devastation and into “a new Amazon dream”, at the start of a major regional

(More...)

World’s oldest moss could go extinct as a result of climate crisis

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:08:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/09/worlds-oldest-moss-could-go-extinct-as-a-result-of-climate-crisis>

"The world’s oldest moss, found in the Himalayas, may not be able to survive
climate breakdown, scientists have said.

(More...)

Babylon 5 Is a Perfect, Terrible Series

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:10:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.tor.com/2023/08/09/babylon-5-is-a-perfect-terrible-series/

"Babylon 5 is one of the best science fiction shows ever made. It also kind
of sucks, and that’s okay.

(More...)

The race to rescue corals from a blistering marine heat wave

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:14:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/the-race-to-rescue-corals-from-a-blistering-marine-heat-wave>

"Armed with scrub brushes, young scuba divers took to the waters of Florida’s
Alligator Reef in late July to try to help corals struggling to survive 2023’s
extraordinary marine heat wave. They carefully scraped away harmful algae and

(More...)

Is the Great Barrier Reef reviving – or dying? Here’s what’s happening beyond the headlines

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:16:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-the-great-barrier-reef-reviving-or-dying-heres-whats-happening-beyond-the-headlines-210558>

"The Great Barrier Reef is not dead. Nor is it in good health. The truth is
complex. To understand what’s going on takes more than a headline.

(More...)

Florida schools plan to use only excerpts from Shakespeare to avoid ‘raunchiness’

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 11:17:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/08/florida-schools-shakespeare-sexual-material>

"Teachers in a Florida county are preparing to use only excerpts of works by
William Shakespeare, rather than whole plays, as part of an attempt to conform
to hardline rightwing legislation on teaching about sex.

(More...)

New Research Sparks Concerns That Ocean Circulation Will Collapse

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:15:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://e360.yale.edu/features/climate-change-ocean-circulation-collapse-antarctica>

"It is being hailed as a sea change in scientific understanding of the global
ocean circulation system and how it will respond as the world heats up. A
doomsday scenario involving the collapse of the circulation — previously

(More...)

AI does not exist but it will ruin everything anyway

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:18:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUrOxh_0leE&t=2703s

"AI tools are helpful and cool as long as you know their limitations. AI
doesn’t exist.There is no fidelity in AI. AI is build on biased data sets and
will give biased results. AI should not be used to make decisions."

(More...)

The Taliban’s war on women in Afghanistan must be formally recognized as gender apartheid

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:19:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-talibans-war-on-women-in-afghanistan-must-be-formally-recognized-as-gender-apartheid-210688>

"The second anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is fast
approaching. Since then, Afghan women have been denied the most basic human
rights in what can only be described as gender apartheid.

(More...)

Russian ‘double tap’ missile strike kills seven near hotel used by journalists

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:20:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/08/russian-strike-on-ukraine-city-kills-five-damaging-hotel-frequented-by-journalists>

"The identity of a woman who was among five civilians and emergency workers
critically injured in a “double tap” missile strike that killed seven people in
the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk remains a mystery, the head of the

(More...)

The movie ‘Barbie’ has put the phrase ‘toxic femininity’ back in the news – here’s what it means and why you should care

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:21:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-movie-barbie-has-put-the-phrase-toxic-femininity-back-in-the-news-heres-what-it-means-and-why-you-should-care-205884>

"As the “Barbie” movie’s worldwide box office passes the billion-dollar mark,
and some conservative pundits push back against its popularity with negative
hot takes, the phrase “toxic femininity” is back in the news.

(More...)

How Toxic Men Want To Make You Believe Women Aren’t Interested in Tech

Sat, 9 Sep 2023 19:22:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/bitchy/how-toxic-men-want-to-make-you-believe-women-arent-interested-in-tech-28693d3784fc>

"It’s always men who come into my comments to tell me that women aren’t
interested in tech — never women.

(More...)

Efforts to find safe housing for homeless youth have gone backwards. Here’s what the new national plan must do differently

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 05:55:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/efforts-to-find-safe-housing-for-homeless-youth-have-gone-backwards-heres-what-the-new-national-plan-must-do-differently-210704>

"What needs to change to greatly reduce youth homelessness in Australia? Now is
the time to find answers to this question, and not just because it’s National
Homelessness Week.

(More...)

My Distaste For Your Solution Does Not Mean Disregard For The Problem

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 05:56:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/08/my-distaste-for-your-solution-does-not-mean-disregard-for-the-problem/>

"This keeps coming up in different contexts, so I thought I might write a short
(ha, as if I can write short things!) blog post that I can point to on various
occasions. I spend a lot of time here on Techdirt highlighting why your

(More...)

Videoverse review – a profound exploration of love, games and fandom

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 05:58:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/games/2023/aug/07/videoverse-review-a-profound-exploration-of-love-games-and-fandom>

"Anyone who ever played and loved a video game, especially as a teenager, will
know that the game itself is often only part of the experience. It is also
about community. We seek out other players, through forums, message boards and

(More...)

Elon Musk accuses Australia’s ABC of embracing censorship after it shut down Twitter/X accounts

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:00:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/10/elon-musk-abc-australia-x-twitter-response-censorship-exits-shuts-down-accounts>

"Elon Musk has accused the ABC of embracing censorship after Australia’s public
broadcaster drastically reduced its presence on X, the social media platform
formerly known as Twitter.

(More...)

"Thank God You’re Here" is back. Its success proves Australian TV is the perfect home for improv comedy

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:01:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/thank-god-youre-here-is-back-its-success-proves-australian-tv-is-the-perfect-home-for-improv-comedy-206668>

"Improvised comedy TV show Thank God You’re Here returned last Wednesday
after a 14 year hiatus, with its premiere drawing an impressive 684,000
viewers.

(More...)

Pollution at Australia’s largest Antarctic research station exceeded guidelines for almost 20 years

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:02:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/10/pollution-at-australias-largest-antarctic-research-station-exceeded-guidelines-for-almost-20-years>

"Pollution at Australia’s largest Antarctic research station, Casey, has
exceeded international guidelines for close to 20 years, new research shows.

(More...)

The Australian government admits its funding is supporting the gas industry. That’s politically risky

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:42:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/10/the-australian-government-admits-its-funding-is-supporting-the-gas-industry-thats-politically-risky>

"Events in Canberra this week point to a significant political battleground for
the next federal election.

(More...)

Re-imagining democracy for the 21st century, possibly without the trappings of the 18th century

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:43:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/re-imagining-democracy-for-the-21st-century-possibly-without-the-trappings-of-the-18th-century-210586>

"Imagine that we’ve all – all of us, all of society – landed on some alien
planet, and we have to form a government: clean slate. We don’t have any legacy
systems from the U.S. or any other country. We don’t have any special or unique

(More...)

Ukraine war: why a ceasefire based on partition of territory won’t work

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:44:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-why-a-ceasefire-based-on-partition-of-territory-wont-work-209750>

"Even as Ukraine’s counteroffensive pushes slowly forward, some observers are
calling for the warring sides to negotiate a ceasefire. This would create a de
facto demarcation line separating areas held by Ukrainian forces from those

(More...)

‘It’s gone forever’: Wildfires ravage town at heart of Hawaiian culture

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:45:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/10/its-gone-forever-wildfires-ravage-town-at-heart-of-hawaiian-culture>

"Wildfires have left a trail of destruction on the Hawaiian island of Maui,
killing an estimated 53 people and forcing thousands to flee their homes.

(More...)

‘Nature needs money’: Lula tells rich countries to pay up and protect world’s rainforests

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:47:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/09/lula-brazil-amazon-rainforests-money>

"The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has told developed
countries to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to protecting
the world’s remaining tropical forests, as major rainforest nations demanded

(More...)

The strange history of ice cream flavours – from brown bread to Parmesan and paté

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:48:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-strange-history-of-ice-cream-flavours-from-brown-bread-to-parmesan-and-pate-210511>

"English Heritage is now selling what it calls “the best thing since sliced
bread” at 13 of its sites – brown bread ice cream, inspired by a Georgian
recipe. The announcement of the flavour mentions several more outlandish

(More...)

Tanegashima Space Art Festival

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:01:17 +0900

yoshida yukihiko <yukihikoyo [at] gmail.com>

yoshida yukihiko
In space art, I have worked for The Japan Society for Aeronautical and
Space Sciences, Study Group for Space Humanities and Social Sciences as
Assistant General Secretary.

Here is the latest information of Space Art Festival in Japan.

(More...)

Dam partly collapses in Norway as Storm Hans continues to cause chaos

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:32:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/09/dam-partly-collapses-in-norway-as-storm-hans-continues-to-cause-chaos>

"A dam in Norway has partly collapsed as the country battles record high river
levels, flooding and landslides after a fatal storm.

(More...)

No Health Care in School? Anti-LGBTQ Moms Sacrifice Kids to Ideology.

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:33:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/prismnpen/no-health-care-in-school-anti-lgbtq-moms-sacrifice-children-to-ideology-57c35dc26ce8>

"Could this even be true? Are right-wing, conservative Christian parents really
calling for an end to health care in public schools? What part of right-wing
ideology, what part of the Christian ethos, calls for withholding care from

(More...)

What’s in vapes? Toxins, heavy metals, maybe radioactive polonium

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:34:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/whats-in-vapes-toxins-heavy-metals-maybe-radioactive-polonium-210462>

"If you asked me what’s in e-cigarettes, disposable vapes or e-liquids, my
short answer would be “we don’t fully know”.

(More...)

NSW minister concedes social housing situation ‘desperate’ as waitlist for most in need doubles in a decade

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:35:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/11/nsw-minister-concedes-social-housing-situation-desperate-as-waitlist-for-most-in-need-doubles-in-a-decade>

"New South Wales’s priority social housing waitlist has doubled in less than a
decade and surged by 1,000 to 7,573 over the past year, as wait times continue
to rise across the state.

(More...)

‘Australia is sleepwalking’: a bushfire scientist explains what the Hawaii tragedy means for our flammable continent

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:35:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/australia-is-sleepwalking-a-bushfire-scientist-explains-what-the-hawaii-tragedy-means-for-our-flammable-continent-211364>

"As I heard reports of the fire tearing through the Hawaiian island of Maui, I
felt utterly depressed. As a fire scientist, I know the unfolding horror –
which has killed 93 people so far – is just the beginning. It’s a portent of

(More...)

Virgin Galactic successfully flies tourists to space for first time

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:36:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/aug/10/vigin-galactic-space-flight-vss-unity-landing>

"Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity, the reusable rocket-powered space plane carrying
the company’s first crew of tourists to space, successfully launched and landed
on Thursday.

(More...)

Morocco rolls out a phosphorous-fueled plan to heal soils across Africa

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:02:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/morocco-rolls-out-a-phosphorous-fueled-plan-to-heal-soils-across-africa/>

"BEN GUERIR, Morocco — Moussa Bouray sifts through hundreds of soil samples on
the shelves of his lab that that will undergo analysis for nutrients: nitrogen,
potassium, and especially phosphorus. Outside the lab at Mohammed VI

(More...)

The WHO has declared Eris a ‘variant of interest’. How is it different from other Omicron variants?

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:03:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-who-has-declared-eris-a-variant-of-interest-how-is-it-different-from-other-omicron-variants-211276>

"EG.5 is a family of Omicron variants (descended from XBB.1.9.2) that first
appeared back in February 2023.

(More...)

Genetically engineered bacteria can detect cancer cells in a world-first experiment

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:04:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/genetically-engineered-bacteria-can-detect-cancer-cells-in-a-world-first-experiment-211201>

"As medical technology advances, many diseases could be detected, prevented and
cured with cells, rather than pills.

(More...)

Meet Window Snyder, the trailblazer who helped secure the internet and billions of devices

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:06:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/04/window-snyder-cybersecurity-trailblazer/>

"After the band played Miles Davis’ “Seven Steps to Heaven,” and an effusive
introduction from the head of the school, Window Snyder stands in front of a
hall filled with around 800 students at her old high school to receive an

(More...)

Friday essay: 60 years old, the Yirrkala Bark Petitions are one of our founding documents – so why don’t we know more about them?

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:08:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-60-years-old-the-yirrkala-bark-petitions-are-one-of-our-founding-documents-so-why-dont-we-know-more-about-them-210801>

It would be interesting to learn who thought up this gimmick.

"On August 16 1963, Cecil Lambert, the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department

(More...)

Biden Unlocks Wind Power In Gulf Of Mexico

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:31:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/07/21/biden-unlocks-wind-power-in-gulf-of-mexico/>

"Federal regulators announced Thursday the first ever Gulf of Mexico offshore
wind lease sale, opening sites off the coast of Lake Charles and Galveston,
Texas, that could potentially power nearly 1.3 million homes. The U.S. Bureau

(More...)

Study mapping how SARS-CoV-2 disrupts mitochondria suggests a cause for long Covid

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:32:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.statnews.com/2023/08/09/long-covid-mitochondria-sars-cov-2/

"In yet another example of Covid’s seemingly limitless reach into our bodies,
new research maps out how the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupts mitochondria, the power
plants in all our cells. The extent of the damage, spanning the lungs, heart,

(More...)

Donald Trump and Ayn Rand

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:34:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-common-good-chapter-2-what-good

"Thanks for joining me again as we explore the common good — what it is, where
it went, how it can be revived and strengthened.

(More...)

Ageing in a housing crisis: growing numbers of older Australians are facing a bleak future

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:36:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ageing-in-a-housing-crisis-growing-numbers-of-older-australians-are-facing-a-bleak-future-209237>

"The collision between an ageing population and a housing crisis has left more
older people in Australia enduring housing insecurity and homelessness. Our
research, released today, explores how the scale of these problems among older

(More...)

‘What went wrong here?’: Big banks refuse coal king $1b debt refinance

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:37:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/what-went-wrong-here-big-banks-refuse-coal-king-1b-debt-refinance-20230717-p5dota.html>

"Australia’s big banks have turned their backs on the country’s largest
pure-play coal miner, refusing to refinance a billion-dollar debt in a major
rebuff that will force Whitehaven Coal to source loans offshore, sending a

(More...)

Accelerated evolution and automated aquaculture could help coral weather the heat

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:38:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/accelerated-evolution-and-automated-aquaculture-could-help-coral-weather-the-heat-209388>

"Coral on the Great Barrier Reef has regrown strongly after the big losses of
2016 and 2017, when water temperatures were significantly above the long-term
average. While this is good news, it’s largely luck. The reef experienced mass

(More...)

Bhutan, Timor-Leste eliminate rubella; Achieve 2023 target of measles and rubella elimination

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:54:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/21-07-2023-bhutan-timor-leste-eliminate-rubella-achieve-2023-target-of-measles-and-rubella-elimination>

"The World Health Organization South-East Asia Region today announced Bhutan
and Timor-Leste have eliminated rubella, a highly contagious disease that
causes serious illness and irreversible birth defects in newborns of women

(More...)

Kitten Sneak Attack Wins Comedy Pet Photo Awards

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:55:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://petapixel.com/2023/08/11/kitten-sneak-attack-wins-comedy-pet-photo-awards/>

"The winners of the 2023 Comedy Pet Photo Awards have been announced.
Photographer Michel Zoghzoghi has taken home the top prize for his photo of his
two rescue kittens, Max and Alex.

(More...)

Incremental environmental change can be as hazardous as a sudden shock – managing these ‘slow-burning’ risks is vital

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:56:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/incremental-environmental-change-can-be-as-hazardous-as-a-sudden-shock-managing-these-slow-burning-risks-is-vital-207805>

"New Zealanders are exposed to hazards from many sources – human-made and
natural – in food, water, soil and air.

(More...)

Meet 5 marvellous mammals of the South Pacific you’ve probably never heard of

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:57:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/meet-5-marvellous-mammals-of-the-south-pacific-youve-probably-never-heard-of-209038>

"Islands are renowned for their weird and wonderful wildlife. These isolated
ecosystems present unparalleled opportunities to study evolution, and the
archipelagos of the southwest Pacific are no exception.

(More...)

Ghana parliament votes to abolish the death penalty

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:58:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ghana-parliament-votes-abolish-death-penalty-2023-07-25/>

'ACCRA, July 25 (Reuters) - Ghana's parliament on Tuesday voted to abolish the
death penalty, making the country the latest of several African nations that
have moved to repeal capital punishment in recent years.

(More...)

A Circular Economy Requires Repairability

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:02:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.ifixit.com/News/79297/a-circular-economy-requires-repairability>

"Each year, humanity uses more resources than the earth can possibly
regenerate, leading to the depressing holiday known as Earth Overshoot Day—the
day of the year when we’ve used more resources than the earth has made. In

(More...)

Qld breaks down gender barriers as birth certificate changes made easier

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:36:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/qld-breaks-down-gender-barriers-as-birth-certificate-changes-made-easier-20230614-p5dgfn.html>

"Queensland’s trans and gender-diverse community will be able to change their
birth certificates more easily to reflect who they are under laws passed on
Wednesday night, despite opposition from the LNP.

(More...)

Long covid has derailed my life. Make no mistake: It could yours, too.

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:40:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/09/madeline-miller-long-covid-post-pandemic/>

"Madeline Miller, a novelist, is the author of “The Song of Achilles” and
“Circe.”

(More...)

Japan Supreme Court Ruling a Victory for Transgender Employees

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:41:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/18/japan-supreme-court-ruling-victory-transgender-employees>

"In a victory for transgender people in Japan, the country’s Supreme Court
ruled last week that the trade ministry violated a public service law by
banning a transgender woman from using the women’s bathroom at work.

(More...)

NYC Has Left People With Long COVID Behind

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:42:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://hellgatenyc.com/nyc-has-left-people-with-long-covid-behind

"I thought I was getting better. After months of battling long COVID, I felt
well enough to venture out for a backyard lunch with my family. But as I stood
up to leave, my head started swimming and my body turned to lead, my arms and

(More...)

Peruvian court opens door to legally recognize same-sex couples

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:43:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/peruvian-court-opens-door-legally-recognize-same-sex-couples-2023-07-22/>

"LIMA, July 21 (Reuters) - A Peruvian high court has ordered same-sex unions to
be legally registered in public records, marking a victory for the LGBTQ
community in a country that has been reluctant to recognize gay couples.

(More...)

Introducing the Income To Support All Foundation

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:44:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.scottsantens.com/introducing-the-income-to-support-all-foundation-itsa-ubi/>

"I'm excited to share that I'm now the Founder and President of the Income To
Support All Foundation, a new non-profit whose purpose is to accelerate the
implementation of unconditional universal basic income by just doing it and by

(More...)

Legal Right to Free Education Grows Globally

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:15:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/09/legal-right-free-education-grows-globally>

"In today’s rapidly changing world, access to free education is essential for
sustainable development and for children to thrive. Although current
international treaties only prioritize a right to free education at the primary

(More...)

Global heating likely to hit world food supply before 1.5C, says UN expert

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:16:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/12/global-heating-likely-to-hit-world-food-supply-faster-than-expected-says-united-nations-desertification-expert>

"The world is likely to face major disruption to food supplies well before
temperatures rise by the 1.5C target, the president of the UN’s desertification
conference has warned, as the impacts of the climate crisis combine with water

(More...)

How We’re Winning The Fight to Defend Trans Rights

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:17:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/how-were-winning-the-fight-to-defend-trans-rights>

"“My mom and I wanted to fight this law not just to protect my health care, but
also to ensure that transgender people like me can safely and fully live our
truths,” said Dylan Brandt, one of our transgender youth clients in our

(More...)

Sony and other music labels sue Internet Archive for digitizing old records

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:19:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.engadget.com/sony-and-other-music-labels-sue-internet-archive-for-digitizing-old-records-110108988.html>

"The Internet Archive is facing another lawsuit over one of its conservation
projects. Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and a handful of
other music labels have filed a lawsuit against the nonprofit organization,

(More...)

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s charged mission of healing

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:20:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/sb3lM

"ONAMIA, Minn. — One after another, the survivors rose, shaking, often in
tears, some singing or chanting to share their stories of childhood horror.

(More...)

Colombia deforestation plummets as peace efforts focus on rainforest

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:21:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/12/colombia-deforestation-amazon-rainforest-peace>

"As the tiny aeroplane wobbles, shudders and occasionally plummets in the
low-altitude turbulence, Rodrigo Botero points to the scars left by Colombia’s
failed efforts to halt a surge in deforestation in the Amazon rainforest over

(More...)

Return of the lions: Large protected areas in Africa attract apex predator

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:13:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/06/return-of-the-lions-large-protected-areas-in-africa-attract-apex-predator/>

"When Bernard van Lente, the Peace Parks Foundation project manager for Zinave
National Park, first arrived at the Mozambican conservation area in 2015, he
was struck by the silence. Zinave was stunningly beautiful, he recalls, with

(More...)

Making tracks: how linking patches of wilderness is saving Borneo’s wildlife

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:15:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/18/making-tracks-how-linking-patches-of-wilderness-saving-borneo-wildlife-aoe>

"In 2011, the German conservationist Robert Risch was hiking along the banks of
a river at the northern limits of Tabin wildlife reserve, home to pygmy
elephants, orangutans and the Bornean banteng, an endangered species of wild

(More...)

The Life-Changing, Solar-Charged Power of ‘Regenerative Travel’

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:16:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/solarpunk-regenerative-travel-ecofriendly-bicycles/>

"Claire and Will Stedden’s honeymoon looked a little different than most
people’s. When they got married in 2017, they planned a celebratory trip to New
Zealand, but then Claire, a science writer, made an alarming discovery: “The

(More...)

Green gains: Localized efforts leave a mark, notably in drier areas, study shows

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:17:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/green-gains-localized-efforts-leave-a-mark-notably-in-drier-areas-study-shows/>

"Efforts to green the planet are in full swing, promising everything from
mitigating climate change to stalling land degradation. But how well do these
actually work?

(More...)

The world's last internet cafes

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:19:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://restofworld.org/2023/internet-cafes/

"When the world’s first internet cafe, Cafe Cyberia, first opened its doors in
London’s West End in September 1994, its founders could never have imagined
what they’d unleashed.

(More...)

After 40 years homeless, Ocean Beach native plant gardener set to move into housing

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:19:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/after-40-years-homeless-ocean-beach-man-set-to-move-into-housing/509-663d319a-4ac4-453b-bf08-a50fd9a093c1>

'SAN DIEGO — Michael Garvey rakes the dirt path at the Point Loma Native Garden
in Ocean Beach. He cleans the area, removes leaves and weeds, wipes the wooden
benches, and supplies treats to the dogs who go for walks in the garden.

(More...)

Barcelona’s ‘Bold Strategy’ to Quell the Tourism Crisis

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:20:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/barcelona-fighting-overtourism/

"When the pandemic struck and Spain’s borders closed indefinitely, Barcelona,
one of the most visited cities in the world, was abruptly emptied of the
millions of tourists that usually overwhelm its historic streets.

(More...)

Good news for the oceans: Amazon single-use plastic packaging declines by over 11% in one year

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:22:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://oceana.org/press-releases/good-news-for-the-oceans-amazon-single-use-plastic-packaging-declines-by-over-11-in-one-year/>

"Marking a victory for the oceans, Amazon announced yesterday in its 2022
sustainability report that its overall use of single-use plastic across its
global operations network (i.e., orders shipped through its fulfillment

(More...)

In This Arizona City, Kids With Autism Are More Than Welcome

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:23:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/mesa-arizona-certified-autism-friendly-city-families/>

"Many parents are all too familiar with the glares and disapproving comments
when their kid has a meltdown in a supermarket aisle or a restaurant. For
parents of neurodiverse kids, the feeling of being unwelcome is enough to

(More...)

New Tree Tech: Cutting-edge drones give reforestation a helping hand

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:24:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/new-tree-tech-cutting-edge-drones-give-reforestation-a-helping-hand/>

"Vast tracts of forest have been cleared by logging, degraded by a range of
other human activities, consumed by wildfires, and ravaged by invasive insects.
Restoring these forests is crucial to curbing global climate change and

(More...)

To Become a Better Tourist, Aim for Slowness and Imperfection

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:25:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/sustainable-travel-tourism-tips-local-culture/>

"When the stars align, there’s nothing quite like travel: walking through the
wondrous remains of an ancient civilization; tasting a mysterious delicacy for
the first time; or exchanging stories about home with a curious local born of a

(More...)

From Treeless Hills to Emerald Woods

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:09:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://hakaimagazine.com/news/from-treeless-hills-to-emerald-woods/

"In the stark sheep pastures of Ireland’s Maumturk Mountains, just a few
gnarled trees cling to the hillside, twisted and bent by decades facing down
the raw Atlantic winds. Now this unlikely landscape, where native woodlands

(More...)

Can 3D-printed tiger teeth help save our rarest animals from extinction?

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:10:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/31/can-3d-printed-tiger-teeth-help-save-rare-indian-animals-from-extinction-aoe>

"In the lowland rainforests of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India, tigers,
clouded leopards, eagles and hornbills dot the landscape. The area is also home
to the Nyishi community, the largest Indigenous tribe in the state, where the

(More...)

First three marine areas receive highest levels of protection

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:11:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-three-marine-areas-receive-highest-levels-of-protection>

"The first three Highly Protected Marine Areas in England are now under the
highest level of protection in our seas, as their designations come into effect
today (5 July).

(More...)

‘Old ladies’ welcome: How senior swimmers clean up Cape Cod’s ponds

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:13:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2023/0731/Old-ladies-welcome-How-senior-swimmers-clean-up-Cape-Cod-s-ponds>

"The pond is silent – until the first cry: “Found something!” A septuagenarian
swimmer ducks into the water. She emerges, fist first, clutching a pair of
bright-blue children’s swimming goggles. These are passed to a kayaker, who

(More...)

Plans To Protect Pacific Humpback Whales From Deadly Entanglements Finally Put In Place Following Major Court Win

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:14:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://worldanimalnews.com/plans-to-protect-pacific-humpback-whales-from-deadly-entanglements-finally-put-in-place-following-major-court-win/>

"The National Marine Fisheries Service agreed today to establish a team to
reduce whale entanglements in a federal fishery off the West Coast in a legal
agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity.

(More...)

How a Coast Miwok Group Is Buying Back a Piece of Their Ancestral Land in Marin

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:15:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.kqed.org/news/11956856/how-a-coast-miwok-group-are-buying-back-a-piece-of-their-ancestral-land-in-marin>

"When Joe Sanchez was 8 years old, his grandmother asked him to make a promise
to never forget his California Indian heritage.

(More...)

Reviving Hope and Sustainability in Senegal’s Tocc Tocc Community Nature Reserve

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:55:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.birdlife.org/news/2023/07/24/reviving-hope-and-sustainability-in-senegals-tocc-tocc-community-nature-reserve/>

"Seated under a Baobab tree, Rougui Sow is among a group of five women
winnowing rice. Rougui works diligently, separating the rice from the huskies,
pouring the grain from large, flat bamboo trays as the aroma of freshly

(More...)

A tiny house gives them hope: How a homeless family in Brazil got a fresh start

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:56:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/13/1191832318/a-tiny-house-gives-them-hope-how-a-homeless-family-in-brazil-got-a-fresh-start>

'"There was a morning when our son asked for a glass of milk and I knew I
didn't have any to give him," says Erica Lacerda de Souza. "All we had left to
eat in the house was rice and farinha [toasted manioc flour]. That's not

(More...)

Rising seas and a great southern star: Aboriginal oral traditions stretch back more than 12,000 years

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:58:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/rising-seas-and-a-great-southern-star-aboriginal-oral-traditions-stretch-back-more-than-12-000-years-211114>

"How long do you think stories can be passed down, generation to generation?

Hundreds of years? Thousands?

(More...)

Cambridge 3D prints game-changing smart concrete structure

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:59:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://newatlas.com/materials/cambridge-3d-prints-game-changing-smart-concrete-structure/>

"Working with private industry, the University of Cambridge has gone one step
beyond 3D printing with a concrete infrastructure unit that was not only made
in an hour, but incorporates sensors to make it self-monitoring and, one day,

(More...)

The Kimba nuclear waste plan bites the dust. Here’s what went wrong and how to do better next time

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:59:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-kimba-nuclear-waste-plan-bites-the-dust-heres-what-went-wrong-and-how-to-do-better-next-time-211344>

"The federal government has scrapped plans to build the nation’s first
radioactive waste storage facility on farmland near Kimba in South Australia.
Frankly, it was never going to work. The plan was doomed from the start.

(More...)

Fears many Australians will abandon home insurance as premiums jump 50% in high-risk areas

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:37:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/14/fears-many-australians-will-abandon-home-insurance-as-premiums-jump-50-in-high-risk-areas>

"Home insurance premiums have climbed by 50% in high-risk parts of Australia as
global heating increases the frequency and cost of climate disasters, a new
report has found.

(More...)

‘How do you live?’ Australia’s rental crisis is pricing low-income workers out of a home

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:38:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/14/australia-rental-crisis-is-pricing-essential-workers-out-of-a-home>

"James had been living in his apartment in inner Sydney for more than two years
when the agent called and told him he had to move within seven days.

(More...)

Munich Airport trials autonomous ‘evoBOT’ robot

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:40:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.airport-technology.com/news/munich-airport-trials-autonomous-evobot-robot/>

"A new autonomous vehicle, called evoBOT, has completed its first practical
trials in the cargo terminal and on the apron at Munich Airport.

(More...)

Ken Burns At 70 Turns His Spotlight On ‘The U.S. And The Holocaust,’ Says “I Won’t Work On A More Important Film”

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:41:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://deadline.com/2023/08/ken-burns-interview-the-u-s-and-the-holocaust-emmys-1235457332/>

"Ken Burns lives just where you might imagine. The documentary filmmaker, who
has spent a lifetime exploring American history, long ago made Walpole, New
Hampshire his home, a bucolic village founded before the American Revolution.

(More...)

Gene therapy eyedrops restored a boy’s sight. Similar treatments could help millions

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:49:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/gene-therapy-blindness-rare-diseases-58f81838894dfb8568affde0b7e4d2f1>

"MIAMI (AP) — Dr. Alfonso Sabater pulled up two photos of Antonio Vento
Carvajal’s eyes. One showed cloudy scars covering both eyeballs. The other,
taken after months of gene therapy given through eyedrops, revealed no scarring

(More...)

Ukraine desperate for help clearing mines, says defence minister

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:51:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/ukraine-desperate-for-help-clearing-mines-says-defence-minister>

"Ukraine is now the most heavily mined country on Earth and its army is
suffering from a critical shortage of men and equipment able to clear the
frontlines, the country’s defence minister has said, as soldiers spoke of heavy

(More...)

NHS could use honey and vinegar for ‘low-cost’ wound care

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:43:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/Uv6V7

"A traditional combination of honey and vinegar has shown promise as a
treatment for stubborn wound infections, scientists have said.

(More...)

Packaging made from food waste could save millions of tonnes of produce from landfill

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:44:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2023-08-14/food-waste-turned-into-packaging-to-save-produce-from-landfill/102718618>

"The browning bananas on your kitchen counter could be transformed into the
plastic packaging that contains your next garden salad.

(More...)

Stop renewables and wait for nuclear: Nationals stunning rejection of science and industry

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:46:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reneweconomy.com.au/stop-renewables-and-wait-for-nuclear-nationals-stunning-rejection-of-science-and-industry/>

"Nationals leader David Littleproud says he wants to have an “honest”
conversation about Australia’s energy transition. Well and good. But maybe
Littleproud himself can help that process by not telling outright lies.

(More...)

Arrest of Saudi scholar and influencer another sign of social media crackdown

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:46:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/arrest-of-saudi-scholar-mohammed-alhajji-and-influencer-another-sign-of-social-media-crackdown>

"A prominent Saudi scholar and Snapchat influencer has been arrested by Saudi
authorities in what experts said was evidence of the kingdom’s extreme
crackdown on social media users.

(More...)

Two Failure Modes of Emerging Technologies

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:48:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://davekarpf.substack.com/p/two-failure-modes-of-emerging-technologies>

"There is a pervasive sense right now that, in the field of artificial
intelligence, we are living in early times. Depending who you ask, AI is some
mix of exciting, inevitable, and scary. But all agree that it is real, it is

(More...)

Can you change a Brexit state of mind?

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:50:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/aug/13/brexit-brain-science-psychology-divided-uk-debate>

"One of the most significant political events of the past few months, it has
seemed to me, wasn’t strictly a bit of politics at all, but an emotional catch
and quaver in the voice of a politician. The politician was the Conservative MP

(More...)

The New Media Goliaths

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:34:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.noemamag.com/the-new-media-goliaths/

"One of the more remarkable artifacts of late-stage social media is the
indelible presence of a particular character: the persecution profiteer. They
are nearly unavoidable on Twitter: massive accounts with hundreds of thousands

(More...)

Mary-Louise McLaws, renowned epidemiologist who helped guide Australia through the pandemic, dies aged 70 from brain tumour

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:34:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-13/mary-louise-mclaws-renowned-epidemiologist-dies/102724932>

'In the darkest days of the pandemic — when people didn't know whether to wash
the canned goods they'd brought home from the supermarket or buy a gas mask so
they could safely exercise for one hour a day — epidemiologist and infection

(More...)

How this Australian-run network of secret schools is helping Afghan girls defy the Taliban

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:36:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-this-australian-run-network-of-secret-schools-is-helping-afghan-girls-defy-the-taliban/qc8h5552u>

"Afghan-Australian woman Gulghotai Bezhan watched the fall of Kabul
from the safety of her home in Melbourne in August 2021.

(More...)

San Francisco’s best bargains are piled high in SCRAP's chaotic warehouse

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:37:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/scrap-san-francisco-bargain-warehouse-18287456.php>

"When customers approach William Barros’ cash register and ask how much they’ll
have to pay for one sheet of paper or a single pencil, he lets out a long
exhale.

(More...)

Call for DC sustainability a wake-up call for industry

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:38:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.technologydecisions.com.au/content/it-management/article/call-for-dc-sustainability-a-wake-up-call-for-industry-155814516>

"A recent detailed survey titled IT and Data Centre Sustainability in Australia
has revealed startling insights that underscore the urgent need for action in
the Australian data centre industry.

(More...)

‘Stay safe’ – Vale Mary-Louise McLaws, a champion for the power of clear science communication

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:40:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/stay-safe-vale-mary-louise-mclaws-a-champion-for-the-power-of-clear-science-communication-211502>

"When the COVID pandemic hit, epidemiologist Professor Emeritus Mary-Louise
McLaws AO became the go-to expert for many journalists across the media
spectrum. With new research being released daily, access to calm, reliable and

(More...)

Landmark US Trial Rules Young People Have a Right to a Clean Environment

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:02:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/landmark-us-trial-rules-young-people-have-a-right-to-a-clean-environment>

'In a landmark climate trial, a Montana court on Monday ruled in favor of a
group of youths who accused the western US state of violating their rights to a
clean environment.

(More...)

After Maui fires, human health risks linger in the air, water and even surviving buildings

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:03:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/after-maui-fires-human-health-risks-linger-in-the-air-water-and-even-surviving-buildings-211404>

"People returning to what remains of the beachside town of Lahaina, Hawaii, and
other Maui communities after one of the nation’s deadliest wildfire disasters
face more dangers, beyond the 2,700 buildings destroyed or damaged and dozens

(More...)

The World's Biggest Permafrost Crater is Melting Due To Rising Temperatures

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:05:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDBCPqniGlY

"The world’s biggest permafrost crater in Russia known as “Batagaika” is
melting as the planet is gradually warming. Batagaika crater is a
one-kilometre-long chunk of sunken land Russia's Far East region. The drone

(More...)

Termination Zero: Our Predicament May Be Totally Unprecedented

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:06:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/termination-zero-our-predicament-may-be-totally-unprecedented>

"Since 2006, the amount of heat-trapping methane in Earth's atmosphere has been
rising fast and, unlike the rise in carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane's recent
increase seems to be driven by biological emissions, not the burning of fossil

(More...)

The Unbearable Ambiguity of Emoji

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:08:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://tidbits.com/2023/07/22/the-unbearable-ambiguity-of-emoji/

"A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, implying you’d need a thousand
words to describe a single image. Emoji are much simpler—maybe just ten words
would suffice. But there’s still plenty of room for interpretation within the

(More...)

What is it about the books of Terry Pratchett that make them so difficult to adapt to the screen?

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:09:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-is-it-about-the-books-of-terry-pratchett-that-make-them-so-difficult-to-adapt-to-the-screen-210793>

"This month has seen the release of the second series of Good Omens, the
comedic tale of an unlikely friendship between a Biblical angel and a demon who
join forces to save the world. It’s based on the book of the same name written

(More...)

The Dream Was Universal Access to Knowledge. The Result Was a Fiasco.

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:34:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/business/media/internet-archive-emergency-lending-library.html>

"Information wants to be free. That observation, first made in 1984,
anticipated the internet and the world to come. It cost nothing to digitally
reproduce data and words, and so we have them in numbing abundance.

(More...)

NASA: July Was Hottest Month on Record, But 2024 Looks Even Hotter

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:35:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-july-was-hottest-month-on-record-but-2024-looks-even-hotter>

'NASA has just confirmed July 2023 was the hottest month since 1880.

For anyone paying the slightest bit of attention this shouldn't be a surprise.

(More...)

Discrimination, internment camps, then deportation: the end of the second world war did not mean peace for Japanese-Australians

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:36:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/discrimination-internment-camps-then-deportation-the-end-of-the-second-world-war-did-not-mean-peace-for-japanese-australians-208582>

"For most of the world’s population, the end of the second world war was a
glorious day. This was not necessarily the case for Japanese-Australians, who
faced repatriation to Japan after being interned by their home country,

(More...)

Why We Need to Build Human-Scale Organizations

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:37:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https%3A%2F%2Feand.co%2Fwhy-we-need-to-build-human-scale-organizations-ee62f0dae024>

"Bigger, bigger, bigger. Better, right? We’ve lionized big, mega, huge-scale —
businesses, institutions, organizations — over medium, small, and tiny. So much
so, that for example, American legal and economic thought tends to favour the

(More...)

Group therapy helps scientists cope with challenging ‘climate emotions’

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:37:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/group-therapy-helps-scientists-cope-with-challenging-climate-emotions-208933>

"As climate records tumble and wildfires rage, people all over the planet are
feeling the toll.

(More...)

W. Jason Morgan, Who Developed Theory of Plate Tectonics, Dies at 87

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:38:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/11/science/jason-morgan-dead.html

"W. Jason Morgan, who in 1967 developed the theory of plate tectonics — a
framework that revolutionized the study of earthquakes, volcanoes and the slow,
steady shift of the continents across the earth’s mantle — died on July 31 at

(More...)

Can human moderators ever really rein in harmful online content? New research says yes

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:45:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/can-human-moderators-ever-really-rein-in-harmful-online-content-new-research-says-yes-209882>

"Social media platforms have become the “digital town squares” of our time,
enabling communication and the exchange of ideas on a global scale. However,
the unregulated nature of these platforms has allowed the proliferation of

(More...)

The Enshittification Of Streaming Accelerates With Price Hikes, More Password Sharing Crackdowns

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:46:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/14/the-enshittification-of-streaming-accelerates-with-price-hikes-more-password-sharing-crackdowns/>

"If you hadn’t noticed, it’s not just good enough for a publicly traded company
to provide an excellent, affordable product that people like. Wall Street
demands improved quarterly returns at any cost, which, sooner or later, causes

(More...)

Urban sprawl is ‘not a dirty word’? If the priority is to meet all kids’ needs, it should be

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:47:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/urban-sprawl-is-not-a-dirty-word-if-the-priority-is-to-meet-all-kids-needs-it-should-be-208670>

"Amid Australia’s housing crisis, land-supply slogans are once again dominating
discussions about the solutions. Governments and private developers often blame
housing crises on lack of land for new housing. Their solution? Rezone farmland

(More...)

RIAA Piles On In The Effort To Kill The World’s Greatest Library: Sues Internet Archive For Making It Possible To Hear Old 78s

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:48:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/14/riaa-piles-on-in-the-effort-to-kill-the-worlds-greatest-library-sues-internet-archive-for-making-it-possible-to-hear-old-78s/>

"On Friday, the Internet Archive put up a blog post noting that its digital
book lending program was likely to change as it continues to fight the book
publishers’ efforts to kill the Internet Archive. As you’ll recall, all the big

(More...)

Do we need a new law for AI? Sure – but first we could try enforcing the laws we already have

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:49:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/do-we-need-a-new-law-for-ai-sure-but-first-we-could-try-enforcing-the-laws-we-already-have-211369>

"Regulation was once a dirty word in tech companies around the world. They
argued that if people wanted better smartphones and flying cars, we had to look
past dusty old laws dreamed up in the pre-internet era.

(More...)

Hackers red-teaming A.I. are ‘breaking stuff left and right,’ but don’t expect quick fixes from DefCon: ‘There are no good guardrails’

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 19:50:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://fortune.com/2023/08/13/hackers-red-teaming-ai-defcon-breaking-stuff-but-no-quick-fixes/>

"White House officials concerned by AI chatbots’ potential for societal harm
and the Silicon Valley powerhouses rushing them to market are heavily invested
in a three-day competition ending Sunday at the DefCon hacker convention in Las

(More...)

Creating ‘sponge cities’ to cope with more rainfall needn’t cost billions – but NZ has to start now

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:10:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/creating-sponge-cities-to-cope-with-more-rainfall-neednt-cost-billions-but-nz-has-to-start-now-211181>

"Tune into news from about any part of the planet, and there will likely be a
headline about extreme weather. While these stories will be specific to the
location, they all tend to include the amplifying effects of climate change.

(More...)

Trapped: Australia’s extraordinary alpine insects are being marooned on mountaintops as the world warms

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:11:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/trapped-australias-extraordinary-alpine-insects-are-being-marooned-on-mountaintops-as-the-world-warms-211104>

"We may not pay invertebrates much thought, but they’re the workhorses of all
ecosystems. Insects and other invertebrates do essential jobs such as
pollinating plants, improving soils and controlling pests. They’re also food

(More...)

Two new Australian mammal species just dropped – and they are very small

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:11:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/two-new-australian-mammal-species-just-dropped-and-they-are-very-small-210386>

"You probably know about the Tasmanian devil. You might even know about its
smaller, less-famous relative, the spotted-tailed quoll.

(More...)

‘National disgrace’: protest after tree estimated to be hundreds of years old cut down in Tasmania

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:13:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/16/protest-tree-estimated-hundreds-of-years-old-cut-down-tasmania>

"Pictures of a massive, centuries-old tree on the back of a logging truck in
Tasmania have sparked calls from environmentalists for Anthony Albanese to
visit the area to see damage being inflicted on native forests.

(More...)

Five key moments in the crushing of Afghan women's rights

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:14:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-66461711

'"We are going to allow women to study and work within our framework. Women are
going to be very active in our society," the Taliban announced in their first
press conference shortly after seizing power on 15 August 2021.

(More...)

Research reveals who’s been hit hardest by global warming in their lifetime - and the answer may surprise you

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:15:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/research-reveals-whos-been-hit-hardest-by-global-warming-in-their-lifetime-and-the-answer-may-surprise-you-211108>

"Earth is warming and the signs of climate change are everywhere. We’ve seen it
in the past few weeks as temperatures hit record highs around the world – both
in the Northern Hemisphere and the warm Australian winter.

(More...)

Why a ban on cellphones in schools might be more of a distraction than the problem it’s trying to fix

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:30:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-a-ban-on-cellphones-in-schools-might-be-more-of-a-distraction-than-the-problem-its-trying-to-fix-211494>

"The National Party’s promised ban on cellphones in schools has been touted by
leader  Christopher Luxon as a “common sense” and “practical” way to address
New Zealand’s poor academic achievement.

(More...)

20 years of Maputo Protocol: A success story for women's rights in Africa

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:31:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/07/maputo-protocol-africa-womens-rights-treaty/>

"2023 marks two decades since the adoption of the Maputo Protocol. The Protocol
to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in
Africa (the Maputo Protocol) is arguably the most progressive legally binding

(More...)

Maui's cultural landmarks burned, but all is not lost

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:32:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/2023/08/16/1193632164/mauis-cultural-landmarks-burned-but-all-is-not-lost>

'Within a couple of days of the start of Maui's fires, government officials,
preservation experts and contractors were meeting to talk about how to
coordinate the cleanup effort with the salvaging and documenting of cultural

(More...)

Can a Buddhist eat meat? It’s complicated

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:33:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/can-a-buddhist-eat-meat-its-complicated-207117>

"Some Buddhists are strictly vegetarian, and others eat meat. Both justify
their positions on the basis of Buddhist texts and teachings.

(More...)

Driving out the rainforest invaders: crackdown on illegal mining brings hope after Bolsonaro era

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:33:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/15/brazil-operations-against-mining-camps-amazon-rainforest>

"Like mechanised Valkyries, nine helicopters filled with armed men and women in
camouflage uniforms swoop over dense forests and remote rivers – but this is
not a scene from Apocalypse Now, it is a Brazilian government mission to

(More...)

16 States Made It Harder To Vote This Year. But 26 Made It Easier.

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:35:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/16-states-made-it-harder-to-vote-this-year-but-26-made-it-easier/>

"Two years ago, the biggest battles in state legislatures were over voting
rights. Democrats loudly — and sometimes literally — protested as Republicans
passed new voting restrictions in states like Georgia, Florida and Texas. This

(More...)

How does land abandonment affect biodiversity?

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:28:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-land-abandonment-affect-biodiversity/>

"The past half a century has witnessed an increased exodus of human populations
from rural to urban areas, with over 55 percent of the world’s population
currently living in cities (a percentage expected to rise to 68 percent by

(More...)

UN recognizes 10 pioneering initiatives that are restoring the natural world

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:29:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/un-recognizes-10-pioneering-initiatives-are-restoring-natural-world>

"Montreal, 13 December 2022 – The United Nations has recognized 10
ground-breaking efforts from around the globe for their role in restoring the
natural world.

(More...)

EXCLUSIVE: Naomi Wu and the Silence That Speaks Volumes

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:30:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.hackingbutlegal.com/p/naomi-wu-and-the-silence-that-speaks-volumes>

"When China's prodigious tech influencer, Naomi Wu, found herself silenced, it
wasn't just the machinery of a surveillance state at play. Instead, it was a
confluence of state repression and the sometimes capricious attention of a

(More...)

I’m an OT and the biggest lesson for parents is in Bluey’s episode Muffin Cone

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:31:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.kidspot.com.au/lifestyle/entertainment/im-an-ot-and-the-biggest-lesson-for-parents-is-in-blueys-episode-muffin-cone/news-story/88f425487a527c4bd52f8fae3254c87f>

"There’s an episode of Bluey called “Muffin Cone” (s2 e43). The girls’ little
cousin, Muffin, who’s three years old, comes over to play at their house.

(More...)

2023 Winners | The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:33:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bulwer-lytton.com/2023

"2023 Grand Prize

She was a beautiful woman; more specifically she was the kind of beautiful

(More...)

Giant old trees are still being logged in Tasmanian forests. We must find ways of better protecting them

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:35:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/giant-old-trees-are-still-being-logged-in-tasmanian-forests-we-must-find-ways-of-better-protecting-them-211670>

"The photo said it all. On the back of a logging truck, a tree so large it
could barely fit. It was cut down in Tasmania’s Florentine Valley, not far from
Mount Field, where it had started life as a seedling over a century ago.

(More...)

Not all mental health apps are helpful. Experts explain the risks, and how to choose one wisely

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:13:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/not-all-mental-health-apps-are-helpful-experts-explain-the-risks-and-how-to-choose-one-wisely-211513>

"There are thousands of mental health apps available on the app market,
offering services including meditation, mood tracking and counselling, among
others. You would think such “health” and “wellbeing” apps – which often

(More...)

Five species face immediate concern of extinction, scientific committee warns Labor

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:14:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/17/five-species-face-immediate-concern-of-extinction-scientific-committee-warns-labor>

"Five species, including Tasmania’s Maugean skate, could jeopardise the
Albanese government’s zero extinctions target, according to a scientific
committee that provides advice on endangered species.

(More...)

A green roof or rooftop solar? You can combine them in a biosolar roof, boosting both biodiversity and power output

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:14:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/a-green-roof-or-rooftop-solar-you-can-combine-them-in-a-biosolar-roof-boosting-both-biodiversity-and-power-output-211347>

"Growing city populations and limited space are driving the adoption of green
roofs and green walls covered with living plants. As well as boosting
biodiversity, green roofs could play another unexpectedly valuable role by

(More...)

Critics of ‘degrowth’ economics say it’s unworkable – but from an ecologist’s perspective, it’s inevitable

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:15:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/critics-of-degrowth-economics-say-its-unworkable-but-from-an-ecologists-perspective-its-inevitable-211496>

"You may not have noticed, but earlier this month we passed Earth overshoot
day, when humanity’s demands for ecological resources and services exceeded
what our planet can regenerate annually.

(More...)

CEO regrets her firm took on Facebook moderation work after staff ‘traumatised’

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:16:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/16/sama-ceo-regrets-firm-took-on-facebook-moderation-work-kenya-staff-allege-exposure-graphic-content>

"The chief executive of a company contracted to moderate Facebook posts in east
Africa has said she regretted taking on the work, after its staff said they
were left traumatised by graphic content on the social media platform.

(More...)

World Bank freezes loans to Uganda because of anti-gay laws. But it doesn’t mean it’s becoming a human rights watchdog

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:17:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/world-bank-freezes-loans-to-uganda-because-of-anti-gay-laws-but-it-doesnt-mean-its-becoming-a-human-rights-watchdog-211630>

"Many people may be tempted to view the World Bank’s recent announcement that
it will freeze new loans to Uganda because of the country’s vicious
anti-LGBTIQ+ law as a harbinger of the Bank taking a more progressive approach

(More...)

‘I was sleeping on a gravesite’: Rottnest Island’s complex history brought to light

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:48:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/aug/17/2023-fremantle-biennale-rottnest-island-history-brought-to-light-in-drone-show>

"With its wild, undulating coastline, freewheeling cyclists and lovable,
pint-sized marsupials, the quokka, Rottnest Island – known to Perth locals as
Rotto – has become synonymous with summer holidays.

(More...)

Hawaii’s climate future: Dry regions get drier with global warming, increasing fire risk

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:49:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/hawaiis-climate-future-dry-regions-get-drier-with-global-warming-increasing-fire-risk-211379>

"The islands of Hawaii are world renowned for their generally pleasant and
tranquil weather. However, the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire tragedy on Maui was a
stark reminder that Hawaii also can experience drought and hot, dry, windy

(More...)

The unsexy solution to smashing Melbourne’s traffic congestion woes

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:50:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-unsexy-solution-to-smashing-melbourne-s-traffic-congestion-woes-20230816-p5dwxz.html>

"Hamsa Puthalakath has a choice each morning: spend at least 90 minutes
catching two buses from his home in East Keilor to La Trobe University in
Bundoora or drive himself and be there in just 35.

(More...)

Threat from climate change to some of India’s sacred pilgrimage sites is reshaping religious beliefs

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:51:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/threat-from-climate-change-to-some-of-indias-sacred-pilgrimage-sites-is-reshaping-religious-beliefs-208737>

"The famous pilgrimage site of Kedarnath, located in the central Himalayas of
India, is believed to be a sacred land. It has been referred to as “deva
bhumi,” or the “land of the gods,” for centuries.

(More...)

For volunteers, repopulating Chesapeake Bay with oysters is personal

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:52:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/25/oysters-chesapeake-bay-maryland-recovery/>

"Kurt Koenig spent about nine months taking loving care of his baby oysters.
They weren’t much to look at but he was determined to keep them safe.

(More...)

Long COVID is devastating and far from rare. As infections rise again, why are we still ignoring it?

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:53:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.salon.com/2023/08/13/long-is-devastating-and-far-from-rare-as-infections-rise-again-why-are-we-still-ignoring-it/>

"On May 11, 2023, the federal public health emergency declaration for COVID-19
came to an end. Only a few months later, and cases are already starting to
surge across the country again. This decision was made despite emerging science

(More...)

10 Facts That Prove the World Is in a Climate Emergency

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:30:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.wired.com/story/climate-change-facts/

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) does not mince its words
when describing the disastrous effect that humans are having on the planet. “It
is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and

(More...)

How Degrowth Can Save The World

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:31:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQrI2GBvn5Q

"Capitalism is based on the cancerous logic of perpetual expansion, devastating
the living world. In the face of ecological breakdown, we need to restore the
balance. We need to end the artificial divide between society, economy, and

(More...)

Science experiments traditionally only used male mice – here’s why that’s a problem for women’s health

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:32:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/science-experiments-traditionally-only-used-male-mice-heres-why-thats-a-problem-for-womens-health-205963>

"If you have ever taken a medicine, then you have benefited from research in
animals. But ten years ago, if you looked at a scientific report involving mice
or rats, it would probably have used only male animals.

(More...)

EPA posts databases of pesticide harm to people, pets and wildlife for first time in agency history

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:33:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://investigatemidwest.org/2023/07/27/epa-posts-databases-of-pesticide-harm-to-people-pets-and-wildlife-for-first-time-in-agency-history/>

"​The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency posted searchable databases of
pesticide harm for the first time in agency history on Thursday.

(More...)

National Cabinet’s new housing plan could fix our rental crisis and save renters billions

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:34:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/national-cabinets-new-housing-plan-could-fix-our-rental-crisis-and-save-renters-billions-211696>

"Wednesday’s National Cabinet meeting set itself a huge task: to fix
Australia’s rental crisis. Thankfully, given rents are rising at their fastest
rate in decades, the plan it produced just might do the trick.

(More...)

Let’s talk nuclear, the Coalition says – just don’t mention cost or how long it would take

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:35:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/18/lets-talk-nuclear-the-coalition-says-just-dont-mention-cost-or-how-long-it-would-take>

"The Coalition appears to have landed on a neat solution to decarbonising
Australia’s electricity grid – just swap out the coal plants for nuclear.

(More...)

Home insurance bills are soaring as climate risks grow. The government should step in

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:21:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/home-insurance-bills-are-soaring-as-climate-risks-grow-the-government-should-step-in-211515>

"The Actuaries Institute of Austalia has just confirmed what many Australian
households already know – home insurance is increasingly unaffordable.

(More...)

The Tourism Industry Is Finally Meeting Its Maker

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:22:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://annamercury.medium.com/the-tourism-industry-is-finally-meeting-its-maker-d5c4d4323714>

"The wildfires in Maui have become the deadliest in modern American history,
surpassing even the horrific 2018 Camp Fire that razed the town of Paradise,
California and killed 85 people. I remember walking those streets a year after

(More...)

Yes, climate change is bringing bushfires more often. But some ecosystems in Australia are suffering the most

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:23:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/yes-climate-change-is-bringing-bushfires-more-often-but-some-ecosystems-in-australia-are-suffering-the-most-211683>

"Black Summer, Black Saturday, Ash Wednesday: these and so many other bushfire
disasters are regular reminders of the fact Australia is among the most
flammable continents on Earth.

(More...)

Enshitternet

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:25:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://doctorow.medium.com/enshitternet-c1d4252e5c6b>

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority;
they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.
Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no

(More...)

‘Ukraine is unlikely ever to return to the Russian Empire’: in a new book, Mark Edele unpacks what’s at stake in a bloody war

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:27:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ukraine-is-unlikely-ever-to-return-to-the-russian-empire-in-a-new-book-mark-edele-unpacks-whats-at-stake-in-a-bloody-war-211497>

"Review: Russia’s War Against Ukraine: The Whole Story – Mark Edele (MUP)

“The whole story” is an unexpected subtitle for a book by a historian. We have

(More...)

A Fight for Salmon Fishing Rights Connects Indigenous Peoples Across the Pacific Ocean

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:29:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://civileats.com/2023/07/26/a-fight-for-salmon-fishing-rights-connects-indigenous-peoples-across-the-pacific-ocean/>

"In May 2017, Masaki Sashima, head of the Raporo Ainu Nation, led a small
delegation of fellow tribal members from Urahoro, a coastal city in Hokkaido,
Japan, to visit their Indigenous counterparts in Washington’s Olympic

(More...)

Masculine Policy: The GOP’s Plan To Outlaw ‘Porn’ And Suspend The First Amendment

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:16:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/17/masculine-policy-the-gops-plan-to-outlaw-porn-and-suspend-the-first-amendment/>

"Does watching porn threaten your masculinity? Science says it doesn’t.

Is porn addictive? No, it’s not. Is sexual expression that is consenting

(More...)

Tree Keepers: Where Sustaining the Forest Is a Tribal Tradition

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:18:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://e360.yale.edu/features/menominee-forest-management-logging

"Mike Lohrengel looks up in awe at trees he has known for 30 years. “This is
one of the most beautiful places I know. This forest has it all: the most
species, the most diversity. Many trees I know individually. Look at this one

(More...)

Is The Inflation Reduction Act Enough To Fuel US Made Electric Vehicles?!

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:19:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wAmy9iTLoI

"In August 2022, President Joe Biden passed the Inflation Reduction Act (aka
IRA) into law earmarking a staggering $369 billion dollars for emissions
cutting measures. The extensive incentives, such as $7500 worth of tax rebates

(More...)

The race to defuse an oil ‘time bomb’ disaster threatening the Red Sea

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:20:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://grist.org/international/the-race-to-defuse-an-oil-time-bomb-disaster-threatening-the-red-sea/>

"Ten days ago, the crew of a ship called the Nautica lifted anchor in Djibouti
and motored north in the Red Sea. Two tugboats met the vessel about five and a
half miles off the coast of Yemen, then guided it into place alongside the FSO

(More...)

Why was there no water to fight the fire in Maui?

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:21:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/17/hawaii-fires-maui-water-rights-disaster-capitalism>

"All over Maui, golf courses glisten emerald green, hotels manage to fill their
pools and corporations stockpile water to sell to luxury estates. And yet, when
it came time to fight the fires, some hoses ran dry. Why?

(More...)

2,000-year-old arch in Caesarea aqueduct collapses; official: ‘We sounded the alarm’

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:22:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/arch-of-famous-caesarea-aqueduct-collapses-official-we-repeatedly-sounded-alarm/>

"A nearly 2,000-year-old arch in Caesarea’s famous ancient Roman aqueduct
system collapsed on a much-frequented beach early Friday morning, leading the
head of the Israel Antiquities Authority to issue accusations against the

(More...)

In Praise of Parasols

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:28:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://slate.com/technology/2019/09/parasols-better-than-sunscreen.html

"It’s truly strange that people don’t use parasols. Here we are, not long past
the planet’s hottest-ever month, and most of us still rely on second-rate
technologies for warding off the sun. We’ll put on UV-protectant creams and lip

(More...)

Tiger populations grow in India and Bhutan

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:37:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66341095

'India and Bhutan have reported a marked increase in their wild tiger
populations, according to new figures released separately by both countries.

(More...)

Saving the Bald Eagle – a Conservation Success Story

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:39:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://defenders.org/blog/2023/01/saving-bald-eagle-conservation-success-story>

"A soaring, majestic silhouette on the skyline, the bald eagle has not only
been the national symbol of the United States for more than 240 years, but it
is also a symbol of how the Endangered Species Act can save wildlife from

(More...)

Billion Dollar Barbie: what lessons should cinema draw?

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:41:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://nickfthilton.medium.com/billion-dollar-barbie-what-lessons-should-cinema-draw-563c0113c20d>

"In an interview with Rolling Stone, the actor Randall Park made the
following observation about the success of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, which
has just passed a billion dollars at the Box Office. “I feel like this industry

(More...)

Scientists Release Record-Breaking Number of Baby Seahorses Into Sydney Harbor

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:43:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-release-record-breaking-number-of-baby-seahorses-into-sydney-harbor-180982581/>

"After months of painstakingly rearing hundreds of baby seahorses, Australian
marine scientists released the tiny animals into Sydney Harbor last week in a
major victory for conservation efforts to boost the endangered sea creature’s

(More...)

Basic Heating Isn’t Sexy, But That Doesn’t Stop Hype Monsters From Emerging

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:44:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-future-is-electric/basic-heating-isnt-sexy-but-that-doesn-t-stop-hype-monsters-from-emerging-73d3e4e9cce1>

"Most people don’t think much about heat except when they are chilly and turn
up the thermostat, but an absurd amount of the energy consumed today is for
residential, commercial, and industrial heat, or wasted in heating in those

(More...)

Spain and Portugal recruit bison and rare horses to help reduce risk of blazes

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:17:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/07/22/spain-and-portugal-recruit-bison-and-rare-horses-to-help-reduce-risk-of-blazes>

"In a groundbreaking experiment in the Iberian Peninsula, the Garrano horse
along with European bison, both ancient breeds, have joined forces to combat
the risk of wildfires.

(More...)

The EG.5 COVID variant is spiking in the U.S. Is it time to mask up?

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:19:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/new-covid-variant-eg-5-surge-mask>

'A highly infectious, new COVID variant is spreading fast, barely three months
after the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was no longer a
global health emergency.

(More...)

$1 billion solar project planned on former Starfire coal mine in Eastern Kentucky

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:20:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://kentuckylantern.com/2023/07/25/1-billion-solar-project-planned-on-former-starfire-coal-mine-in-eastern-kentucky/>

"KNOTT COUNTY — It was a little over five years ago when Philip Marsh looked
over the thousands of acres of reclaimed strip mine land he owned near the
Knott County line and wouldn’t have a clue what would come of it.

(More...)

Cat and dog influencers help Ukrainians cope with war

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:21:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66509999

'From fundraising to detecting explosives, cats and dogs have been helping
Ukrainians deal with the devastating impact of Russia's invasion.

(More...)

Victorian government bans gas in new homes from 2024

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:23:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-28/victoria-bans-gas-new-homes-housing-developments-emissions/102659636>

'Victoria will ban gas connections in new homes from next year, the state
government has announced.

(More...)

Church of England to disinvest from fossil fuels this year

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:24:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/church-england-plans-disinvest-fossil-fuels-this-year-2023-06-22/>

"LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The Church of England Pensions Board said it had
decided to divest its holding in Shell (SHEL.L) over what it said were
insufficient plans to align its strategy to the goal of limiting global warming

(More...)

Myths are clouding the reality of our sustainable energy future

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:12:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.ft.com/content/44230108-d980-446a-b5ca-81b175f8b47d

"Heatwaves, floods and droughts across the world are a wake-up call. We need to
cut fossil fuel use fast, reducing CO₂ emissions to around zero by the middle
of the century. To do that, we must electrify as much as possible, decarbonise

(More...)

Dead EV batteries turn to gold with US incentives

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:14:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/dead-ev-batteries-turn-gold-with-us-incentives-2023-07-21/>

"POOLE, England, July 21 (Reuters) - A little-publicized clause in the U.S.
Inflation Reduction Act has companies scrambling to recycle electric vehicle
batteries in North America, putting the region at the forefront of a global

(More...)

The Titan Submersible Disaster Was Years in the Making, New Details Reveal

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:15:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/08/titan-submersible-implosion-warnings>

"To many in the tight-knit deep-sea exploration community, OceanGate’s
submersible dives were reckless and often dangerous, writes best-selling author
Susan Casey."

(More...)

The Killer Whales of Eden and the ‘Law of the Tongue’

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:16:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/killer-whales-work-with-humans

"When a familiar siren blares through the small town of Eden on the coast of
New South Wales, Australia, people start to gather. It’s not a warning of a
tsunami or other disaster, but for a far more pleasant occurrence: a whale

(More...)

This 95-year-old Perth driver wants older motorists to go electric

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:18:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/this-95-year-old-perth-driver-wants-older-motorists-to-go-electric-20230819-p5dxty.html>

"A 95-year-old man who counts a 1926 Whippet as his first car and once
delivered goods using a horse and cart is being lauded as one of the oldest
people in Australia to own and drive an electric vehicle.

(More...)

ABC audience responds to survey on whether extinct thylacine should be brought back to life

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:19:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-20/thylacine-deextinction-abc-audience-survey-response/102583780>

"Scientists say they can revive the extinct thylacine, commonly known as the
Tasmanian tiger, within a decade, but does anybody want them to?

(More...)

The Beauty and Brilliance of Germany’s ‘Cow Chapels’

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:46:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-are-cow-chapels

"The restaurant at Wasem, a fourth-generation family winery in Germany’s
largest wine region, Rheinhessen, is simply yet stylishly furnished. Its stone
walls are painted white, its wooden floors are polished, and its banquettes are

(More...)

Move Over, Men: Women Were Hunters, Too

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:48:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/dYAQR

"It’s often viewed as a given: Men hunted, women gathered. After all, the
anthropological reasoning went, men were naturally more aggressive, whereas the
slower pace of gathering was ideal for women, who were mainly focused on

(More...)

What Happens to Lahaina Now?

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:49:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/@climatesurvivor/what-happens-to-lahina-now-7ad2993e6017>

"Two days ago, a wildfire swept out of the hills of Maui and obliterated the
city of Lahaina without warning.

(More...)

Google’s RT-2 AI model brings us one step closer to WALL-E

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:50:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/07/googles-rt-2-ai-model-brings-us-one-step-closer-to-wall-e/>

'On Friday, Google DeepMind announced Robotic Transformer 2 (RT-2), a
"first-of-its-kind" vision-language-action (VLA) model that uses data scraped
from the Internet to enable better robotic control through plain language

(More...)

Microplastics Could Trigger Inflammation in Human Brain Cells

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:52:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/microplastics-could-trigger-inflammation-in-human-brain-cells>

'Mounting evidence suggests microplastics in our blood are likely capable of
crossing our mammalian brain-blood barrier. Now preliminary experiments reveal
the potential impact they can have once in there, finding weathered

(More...)

Awesome! Movers in China wear exoskeleton suits for heavy lifting, boosting efficiency, reducing injury as technology expands across nation

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:53:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3228465/awesome-movers-china-wear-exoskeleton-suits-heavy-lifting-boosting-efficiency-reducing-injury>

"A number of Chinese movers which are using wearable exoskeleton robots to
boost efficiency and prevent muscle strain have trended on mainland social
media after videos of the devices were posted.

(More...)

How Many Dinosaurs Remain Undiscovered?

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:04:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-many-dinosaurs-remain-undiscovered-180982560/>

"Paleontologists are uncovering new dinosaurs at an astonishing rate. On
average, a new species of “terrible lizard” is named about every two weeks from
fossil sites all over the world. And as experts announce each astonishing

(More...)

Miyazaki’s Magical Food: An Ode to Anime’s Best Cooking Scenes

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:05:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.seriouseats.com/studio-ghibli-anime-best-food-scenes

"Last year, I got a small tattoo on my arm of a shiny red bento box filled with
white rice, divided in half by a small, whole grilled fish. On one side, the
rice is topped with sakura denbu, a cherry blossom-pink condiment made from

(More...)

GABON: when marine biodiversity reduces foreign debt by $450 million

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:07:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.afrik21.africa/en/gabon-when-marine-biodiversity-reduces-foreign-debt-by-450-million/>

"Gabon's debts will be reduced by $450 million thanks to an innovative
debt-for-nature mechanism. Piloted on Gabon's behalf by Bank of America (BofA),
the debt-for-nature mechanism enables developing countries to reduce their

(More...)

Biden designates new national monument surrounding the Grand Canyon, blocking mining

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:08:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/08/politics/joe-biden-national-monument-grand-canyon/>

"President Joe Biden on Tuesday designated the fifth national monument of his
presidency and unveiled new climate resilience funding for national parks
during a visit to lands surrounding one of the seven natural wonders of the

(More...)

Patents were meant to reward inventions. It’s time to talk about how they might not

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:09:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/patents-were-meant-to-reward-inventions-its-time-to-talk-about-how-they-might-not-211518>

"For hundreds of years, we’ve been told patents help deliver big new
inventions, such as life-saving drugs.

(More...)

Victorian recycling company found to have systematically underpaid refugees and asylum seekers

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:09:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/21/victorian-recycling-company-found-to-have-systematically-underpaid-refugees-and-asylum-seekers>

"Refugees and asylum seekers employed to sort rubbish were systematically
exploited and underpaid by one of the biggest recycling organisations in
Victoria.

(More...)

5 tips for getting off gas at home – for a cleaner, cheaper, healthier all-electric future

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:48:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/5-tips-for-getting-off-gas-at-home-for-a-cleaner-cheaper-healthier-all-electric-future-211261>

"Burning gas in our homes to cook food or heat air and water has become a
contentious issue. Gas is an expensive, polluting fossil fuel, and there’s
mounting evidence to suggest it’s also bad for our health.

(More...)

Who gets to be healthy? The ‘social determinants of health’ can reduce inequities, but many policies neglect them

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:49:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/who-gets-to-be-healthy-the-social-determinants-of-health-can-reduce-inequities-but-many-policies-neglect-them-210961>

"The “social determinants of health” is a fancy way of describing a simple
idea: that a person’s health is influenced not just by what they eat or do but
also by social factors.

(More...)

California shop owner shot dead over LGBTQ+ Pride flag displayed at store

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:50:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/20/california-shop-owner-shot-dead-over-lgbtq-pride-flag>

"A business owner in California was shot and killed after a dispute over a
LGBTQ+ Pride flag displayed outside her store, authorities said.

(More...)

So You Want to Learn Physics…

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:51:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.susanrigetti.com/physics

"Nearly six years ago, I sat down at my desk and typed up a detailed guide for
anyone who wanted to learn physics on their own. At the time, I had no idea how
many people would read it and use it — my only goal was to put the information

(More...)

Nearly two-thirds of the top fossil fuel producers in Australia and the world aren’t on track for 1.5℃ climate target

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:52:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/nearly-two-thirds-of-the-top-fossil-fuel-producers-in-australia-and-the-world-arent-on-track-for-1-5-climate-target-211609>

"Rapid reductions in fossil fuel production and use are essential to limit
global warming to 1.5℃ compared to pre-industrial levels. Our new research
shows most of the world’s major coal, oil and gas companies are yet to make

(More...)

Thousands of migratory birds will make NZ landfall in spring – will they bring a deadly bird flu with them?

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:53:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-migratory-birds-will-make-nz-landfall-in-spring-will-they-bring-a-deadly-bird-flu-with-them-211492>

"A highly pathogenic bird flu is currently sweeping the world – and New Zealand
could be better prepared for its potential arrival.

(More...)

Bushfires: Australia’s fire chiefs on how to prepare your home for the upcoming season

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:03:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/21/bushfires-australias-fire-chiefs-on-how-to-prepare-your-home-for-the-upcoming-season>

"Fire chiefs have warned people living in fire-prone areas to begin preparing
for an elevated fire risk as Australia faces its first dry summer in three
years.

(More...)

Interested, curious and empathetic, Michael Parkinson helped bridge the gap between Australia and England

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:06:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/interested-curious-and-empathetic-michael-parkinson-helped-bridge-the-gap-between-australia-and-england-211824>

"Michael Parkinson, who has died at 88, demonstrated the art of the good
interview night after night. He practised deep listening, giving his
interviewee his full attention, but he was always aware of the audience. While

(More...)

Pioneering wind-powered cargo ship sets sail

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:08:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-66543643

'A cargo ship fitted with giant, rigid British-designed sails has set out on
its maiden voyage.

(More...)

How gender inequality is hindering Japan’s economic growth

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:14:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-gender-inequality-is-hindering-japans-economic-growth-206537>

"Japan’s economy is under pressure from rising energy prices and defence costs
and the impact of the pandemic. Plummeting birth rates and an ageing population
further threaten the sustainability of its labour market. A 2023 study by

(More...)

70 years ago, an Anglo-US coup condemned Iran to decades of oppression – but now the people are fighting back

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:16:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/70-years-ago-an-anglo-us-coup-condemned-iran-to-decades-of-oppression-but-now-the-people-are-fighting-back-211698>

"The 1953 coup d'etat in Iran ushered in a period of exploitation and
oppression that has continued – despite a subsequent revolution that led to
huge changes – for 70 years. Each year on August 19, the anniversary of the

(More...)

Six major nature recovery schemes across England unveiled

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:45:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-66247292

"Six new landmark nature projects to boost wildlife recovery and improve
climate security are being launched by Natural England and the government.

(More...)

This Northern Manhattan Wetland Has Faced Climate-Change Induced Erosion and Sea Level Rise. A Living Shoreline Has Reimagined the Space

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:46:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://insideclimatenews.org/news/03082023/swindler-cove-northern-manhattan-coastline-restoration/>

"When the New York Restoration Project first started working in the late 1990s
to clean the unnamed shoreline along the Harlem River in northern Manhattan,
the intertidal mudflat and wetlands weren’t just a neglected area, but a former

(More...)

Yellowknife and Kelowna wildfires burn in what is already Canada’s worst season on record

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:47:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/yellowknife-and-kelowna-wildfires-burn-in-what-is-already-canadas-worst-season-on-record-211817>

"The devastating wildfire that destroyed the historic Maui town of Lahaina in
Hawaii was still making headlines when the Northwest Territories issued an
evacuation order for Yellowknife and British Columbia declared a provincewide

(More...)

Blooming magnolias and unseasonable fruit: Australia’s warmer winter is making spring come early

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:48:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/22/orchids-blooming-early-australia-when-do-orchids-bloom-spring-where-to-see>

"Orchids are blooming early in the shade house at Cranbourne Royal Botanic
Gardens this winter.

(More...)

Antarctic Extremes Are Now Virtually Assured, With Global Ramifications

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:49:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/antarctic-extremes-are-now-virtually-assured-with-global-ramifications>

'It's the midst of winter in the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica is missing
an obscene amount of ice.

(More...)

Meet the Pass It On 2023 Award Winners

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:51:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://systers.org/pass-it-on-award-winners/

"The AnitaB.org Systers Pass It On Awards Program honors Anita Borg’s desire to
create a network of women technologists helping one another. The cash award
helps fund women in computing or projects that inspire and support girls and

(More...)

An Iowa school district is using AI to ban books

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:41:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.engadget.com/mason-city-iowa-school-district-ai-book-ban-censorship-202541565.html>

'It certainly didn't take long for AI's other shoe to drop, what with the
emergent technology already being perverted to commit confidence scams and
generate spam content. We can now add censorship to that list as the Globe

(More...)

Tropical Storm Hilary pounds Southern California with heavy rain, flash flooding

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:42:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/tropical-storm-hilary-pounds-southern-california-with-heavy-rain-flash-flooding-211869>

"Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall on Mexico’s Baja peninsula and moved into
Southern California with damaging wind and heavy rainfall on Sunday, Aug. 20,
2023. For the first time ever, the National Hurricane Center had issued a

(More...)

I’ve spent 40 years studying Antarctica. The frozen continent has never needed our help more

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:43:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ive-spent-40-years-studying-antarctica-the-frozen-continent-has-never-needed-our-help-more-211520>

"After decades immersed in Antarctic science, I’ve learned that physical and
biological changes rarely occur smoothly. More often than not, they unfold in
sharp steps. Right now, Antarctica’s climate and ecosystems are experiencing

(More...)

Zero-degree line at record height above Switzerland as heat and fire hit Europe

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:44:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/21/zero-degree-line-record-height-switzerland-heatwave-wildfire-europe>

"A Swiss weather balloon had to climb to an unprecedented 5,300 metres
(17,400ft) before the temperature fell to 0C (32F), meteorologists have said,
as a late summer heatwave and wildfires continue to pummel swaths of

(More...)

What harm could one coal mine do? Plenty – 1.7 million Hiroshima bombs of heat for starters

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:45:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-harm-could-one-coal-mine-do-plenty-1-7-million-hiroshima-bombs-of-heat-for-starters-210384>

"This year, the Australian government rejected Clive Palmer’s coal mine
proposal – but approved three others. Over 100 more fossil fuel projects are in
the decision pipeline.

(More...)

Our Inability To Recognize That Remixing Art Is Transformative Is Now Leading To Today’s AI/Copyright Mess

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:46:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/21/our-inability-to-recognize-that-remixing-art-is-transformative-is-now-leading-to-todays-ai-copyright-mess/>

"If you’ve never watched it, Kirby Ferguson’s “Everything is a Remix” series
(which was recently updated from the original version that came out years ago)
is an excellent look at how stupid our copyright laws are, and how they have

(More...)

Is it worth investing in a battery for your rooftop solar? Here’s what buyers need to know (but often can’t find out)

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:03:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-it-worth-investing-in-a-battery-for-your-rooftop-solar-heres-what-buyers-need-to-know-but-often-cant-find-out-209219>

"Recent electricity price increases of 20–30% have hit households hard. Some
are installing rooftop solar systems and batteries to reduce or even end their
reliance on energy providers.

(More...)

‘An extraordinary dynamo’: Doris Taylor founded Meals on Wheels and helped elect Don Dunstan

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:04:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/an-extraordinary-dynamo-doris-taylor-founded-meals-on-wheels-and-helped-elect-don-dunstan-199209>

"When Doris Taylor took possession of a new motorised wheelchair in 1951, she
quipped: “Heaven help any bureaucrat who gets in my way now.”

(More...)

How Big Oil Is Hijacking The Climate Conference

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:05:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/digital-diplomacy/how-big-oil-is-hijacking-the-climate-conference-1bdfed51272f>

"In a stunning example of ‘green washing’, this year’s UN Climate Change
Conference is going to be a bit different. The difference is, COP28 is being
led by the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

(More...)

Mangrove Forest Thrives Around What Was Once Latin America's Largest Landfill

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:06:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https:/www.voanews.com/a/mangrove-forest-thrives-around-what-was-once-latin-america-s-largest-landfill-/7200974.html>

'It was once Latin America's largest landfill. Now, a decade after Rio de
Janeiro shut it down and redoubled efforts to recover the surrounding expanse
of highly polluted swamp, crabs, snails, fish and birds are once again

(More...)

The Age of Oil Is Ending & We’ll Have a Lot of Oil Left Over

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:07:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-future-is-electric/the-age-of-oil-is-ending-well-have-a-lot-of-oil-left-over-93e99175c272>

"Peak oil demand is the point at which the consumption of oil reaches its
maximum level before it starts to decline. The timing of peak oil demand is a
topic of ongoing debate among firms, analysts, and experts in the energy

(More...)

Abu Dhabi is creating vast carbon sinks from its mangroves and sharing its learnings with the world

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:08:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/07/how-abu-dhabi-is-using-the-carbon-capture-capabilities-of-its-mangrove-reserves-to-combat-climate-change/>

"Mangroves are essential in helping to turn the tide on climate change.
Globally, mangrove trees act as a carbon sink – capturing four times more
carbon than rainforests and locking it deep in their roots or vaults, keeping

(More...)

To safeguard a rare Brazilian woodpecker, an NGO bought out its habitat

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:52:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/08/to-safeguard-a-rare-brazilian-woodpecker-an-ngo-bought-out-its-habitat/>

"Conservationist George Georgiadis vividly remembers the first time he saw
Kaempfer’s woodpecker, a species once thought to be on the brink of extinction.
He heard its drumming, then the bird flew out from the bush, filling the forest

(More...)

Staring at the tsunami

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:54:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://donotpanic.substack.com/p/staring-at-the-tsunami

"For a while I became obsessed by a video recorded on the day of the 2004
Southeast Asian tsunami.

(More...)

Napa Vineyards Are Pairing Wine With ‘Fish Friendly Farming’

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:55:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/napa-vineyards-fish-friendly-farming-ecology/>

"Among even the most casual eaters, invoking Napa Valley will almost assuredly
lead to talk about wine. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, Napa Valley’s
grapes benefit from dry summer days, rainy winters and nighttime fog — ideal

(More...)

Once nearing extinction, Brazil’s golden monkeys have rebounded from yellow fever, scientists say

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:56:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/endangered-monkeys-golden-lion-tamarin-brazil-2a9dd25048e5df6da5ab9d5e5e9a5006>

"There are now more golden lion tamarins bounding between branches in the
Brazilian rainforest than at any time since efforts to save the species started
in the 1970s, a new survey reveals.

(More...)

For Outdoor Workers, Learning About Heat Protection Is a Lifesaver

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:57:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/farmworkers-heat-stress-health-education/>

"Efraín López García was only 29 years old. On July 6 of this year, the hottest
day so far recorded on earth, he complained about a headache and dizziness
while harvesting fruit on a farm in Homestead, Florida, near Miami. His fellow

(More...)

Southern right whales grow in number along Brazil’s coastline

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:58:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/geral/noticia/2023-08/southern-right-whales-grow-number-along-brazils-coastline>

"During the southern right whale season in Brazil, experts are seizing the
opportunity to warn that these majestic creatures are still listed as an
endangered species in the country. While there has been a recent increase in

(More...)

What No One Wants to Hear

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:45:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://danafblankenhorn.substack.com/p/what-no-one-wants-to-hear

"America is doing great. Anger burns itself out. We’re playing the 1983 Game.
Ask your folks what happened in 1984.

(More...)

‘My brother will pick it up, what’s your PayID?’ How to avoid this scam when selling stuff online

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:46:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/my-brother-will-pick-it-up-whats-your-payid-how-to-avoid-this-scam-when-selling-stuff-online-211665>

"You’ve done it. You’ve finally bought that new sofa you wanted so much. The
old one is still perfectly good to sit on, so you jump online to try and get a
little bit of cash for it.

(More...)

Murray-Darling Basin Plan to be extended under a new agreement, without Victoria – but an uphill battle lies ahead

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:47:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/murray-darling-basin-plan-to-be-extended-under-a-new-agreement-without-victoria-but-an-uphill-battle-lies-ahead-212002>

"Federal Minister for Water Tanya Plibersek today announced a new agreement to
restore Australia’s largest and most important river basin. It comes just
months before the original Murray-Darling Basin Plan was to be completed.

(More...)

Cases of flesh-eating invasive strep A bacteria surge in Australian children

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:48:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/cases-of-flesh-eating-invasive-strep-a-bacteria-surge-in-australian-children>

"It took just two days for one-year-old Jordan Sutherland to go from
experiencing clinginess and a slight temperature to being in intensive care
after surgery to remove flesh-eating bacteria from his neck, which had “swollen

(More...)

Camp David summit turns attention to North Korea, as well as China

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:49:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/camp-david-summit-turns-attention-to-north-korea-as-well-as-china-211875>

"While China’s relationship with the region and the world is a constant focus
of attention and scrutiny, world leaders have also been closely watching North
Korea, particularly for its steadily increasing ballistic missile capability.

(More...)

Far-right voice opponents co-opt comments from controversial New Zealand speaker

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:50:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/who-is-julian-batchellor-stop-co-governance-new-zealand-far-right-speaker-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-no-campaign>

"A controversial speaker from New Zealand whose views are being co-opted by
far-right groups in Australia is spreading “dangerous falsehoods”, a Māori
human rights advocate has claimed.

(More...)

Want to help Maui’s animals after the wildfires? Send cash, not kibble

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:06:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/want-to-help-mauis-animals-after-the-wildfires-send-cash-not-kibble-211722>

"An estimated 3,000 pets were still missing more than a week after deadly
wildfires ripped through Maui in August 2023 and left thousands of people –
many of whom had companion animals – homeless. The Conversation asked Sarah

(More...)

Full of beans: scientists use processed coffee grounds to make stronger concrete

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:08:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/aug/23/full-of-beans-scientists-use-processed-coffee-grounds-to-make-stronger-concrete>

"In an idea that fittingly arose over a cup of coffee, researchers have devised
a technique to recycle used coffee grounds to make stronger concrete.

(More...)

Better than net zero? Making the promised 1.2 million homes climate-friendly would transform construction in Australia

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:08:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/better-than-net-zero-making-the-promised-1-2-million-homes-climate-friendly-would-transform-construction-in-australia-211825>

"The national cabinet has announced plans to build an extra 1.2 million homes
by July 1 2029. The construction, operation and maintenance of buildings
accounts for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. If

(More...)

Vaping found to be the biggest risk factor for teenage tobacco smoking

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:09:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/23/vaping-found-to-be-the-biggest-risk-factor-for-teenage-tobacco-smoking>

"E-cigarette use is the single strongest risk factor for adolescents taking up
tobacco smoking, outranking social norms, poor mental health and misperceptions
about smoking harms, research published on Wednesday has found.

(More...)

Slow train coming: only a genuine shift to rail will put NZ on track to reduce emissions

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:10:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/slow-train-coming-only-a-genuine-shift-to-rail-will-put-nz-on-track-to-reduce-emissions-211662>

"Both the Labour government and the opposition National Party have now released
major transport polices that put the emphasis on maintaining and expanding
roads.

(More...)

Eighteen bodies found in wildfire zone in north-east Greece

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:11:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/22/bodies-found-in-wildfire-zone-in-north-east-greece>

"The bodies of 18 people have been found in an area of north-east Greece where
firefighters are battling a major wildfire, authorities have said, as a
record-breaking late summer heatwave continues to sear swathes of continental

(More...)

India lands spacecraft near south pole of moon in historic first

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:01:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/aug/23/india-chandrayaan-3-moon-landing-mission>

"India has become the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the
south pole of the moon, in a historic moment that drew cheers at watching
parties around the country.

(More...)

When a Coke Plant Closed in Pittsburgh, Cardiovascular ER Visits Plunged

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:02:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://insideclimatenews.org/news/13082023/when-a-steel-plant-closed-in-pittsburgh-cardiovascular-er-visits-plunged/>

"A week after one of Pittsburgh’s most polluting plants closed in 2016,
cardiovascular ER visits in the nearby communities dropped by 42 percent and
continued to shrink every week for years, according to a recent study published

(More...)

The Magazine of F&SF in the news again for bad reasons

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:05:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://camestrosfelapton.wordpress.com/2023/08/23/the-magazine-of-fsf-in-the-news-again-for-bad-reasons/>

"The venerable and once influential magazine, Fantasy & Science Fiction is
not having a good year. In July, Writers Beware carried an article discussing
the serve backlog the magazine had with contracts for stories:

(More...)

Sustainability is often an afterthought in space exploration – that needs to change as the industry grows

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:06:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/sustainability-is-often-an-afterthought-in-space-exploration-that-needs-to-change-as-the-industry-grows-211335>

"Aotearoa New Zealand is the latest country to enter the expanding and
competitive international space market.

(More...)

UK cannot ignore calls for slavery reparations, says leading UN judge

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:07:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/22/uk-cannot-ignore-calls-for-slavery-reparations-says-leading-un-judge-patrick-robinson>

"A leading judge at the international court of justice has said the UK will no
longer be able to ignore the growing calls for reparation for transatlantic
slavery.

(More...)

Court dismisses challenge to Biden’s restoration of Utah monuments shrunk by Trump

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:08:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/biden-bears-ears-lawsuit-dismissed-0e3e0805ba3fe5756c32a944bd7d29bb>

"A judge Friday dismissed a lawsuit from the state of Utah challenging
President Joe Biden’s restoration of two sprawling national monuments in the
state that were downsized by President Donald Trump.

(More...)

A Christian Crowdfunding Site Has a White-Power Problem

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:47:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/christian-crowdfunding-givesendgo-white-power-problem-1234809799/>

"GiveSendGo bills itself as the Christian alternative to GoFundMe — a platform
committed to sharing “the Hope of Jesus through crowdfunding.” In addition to
typical crowdfunding campaigns for medical bills and memorial funds, the site

(More...)

‘The Eurocentric fallacy’: the myths that underpin European identity

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:48:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/17/the-eurocentric-fallacy-the-myths-that-underpin-european-identity>

"Many “pro-Europeans” – that is, supporters of European integration or the
“European project” in its current form – imagine that the European Union is an
expression of cosmopolitanism. They think it stands for diversity, inclusion

(More...)

Hey haole! If you’ve taken a trip to Maui, you need to give back

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:49:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/@meganfinley/hey-haoles-if-youve-taken-a-trip-to-maui-you-need-to-give-right-now-61825b48f20f>

"“It’s so much worse than anyone knows.” A hospital-worker called to tell me.

That morning I woke up to the news that Maui was on fire, Lahaina was GONE(!?),

(More...)

‘Gigantic’ power of meat industry blocking green alternatives, study finds

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:51:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/18/gigantic-power-of-meat-industry-blocking-green-alternatives-study-finds>

"The “gigantic” power of the meat and dairy industries in the EU and US is
blocking the development of the greener alternatives needed to tackle the
climate crisis, a study has found.

(More...)

China officials hit by US sanctions over ‘forced assimilation’ of children in Tibet

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:52:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/23/china-forced-assimilation-tibet-us-sanctions-visa>

"The United States will impose visa sanctions on Chinese officials pursuing
“forced assimilation” of children in Tibet, where UN experts say one million
children have been separated from their families.

(More...)

Maker Naomi Wu is Silenced by Chinese Authorities (And Why I Blame Elon Musk)

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 19:57:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei7OQDVOYDY

Transcript: https://www.patreon.com/posts/88102895

"There’s a really disturbing situation happening in China that I think it’s

(More...)

Trump is undermining the entire US judicial system with another big lie

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:03:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/16/donald-trump-big-lie-fulton-county-georgia-indictment>

"Not content with trying to destroy America’s trust in the US election system
with his big lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him,
Donald Trump is now trying to destroy America’s trust in the US judicial system

(More...)

Intergenerational report highlights the threat of a hotter, less productive Australia due to global warming

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:08:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/intergenerational-report-highlights-the-threat-of-a-hotter-less-productive-australia-due-to-global-warming-212121>

"Global warming threatens to have major impacts on Australia’s labour
productivity, agriculture and tourism over coming decades, according to the
Intergenerational Report, which makes climate change a major focus of its

(More...)

Everything Made By an AI Is In the Public Domain

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:10:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://doctorow.medium.com/everything-made-by-an-ai-is-in-the-public-domain-caa634a8f7f1>

"Last week, a US federal judge handed America’s creative workers a huge labor
win: Judge Beryl A Howell of the DC Circuit Court upheld a US Copyright Office
ruling that works created by “AIs” are not eligible for copyright protection.

(More...)

The intergenerational report tries to scare us about ageing. It’s an old fear, and wrong

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:11:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-intergenerational-report-tries-to-scare-us-about-ageing-its-an-old-fear-and-wrong-212003>

"The “problem” of Australia’s ageing population has been a concern for decades.
Indeed, I have aged along with it.

(More...)

Road safety experts propose levy on large SUVs in city to curb rising Victorian road deaths

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:13:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/24/road-safety-experts-propose-levy-on-suvs-in-city-to-curb-rising-victorian-road-deaths>

"A levy charged to people who drive large SUVs in the city has been mooted as a
possible way to curb Victoria’s “skyrocketing” road deaths since the Covid-19
pandemic.

(More...)

Tech's broken promises

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:14:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-broken-promises-streaming-ride-hailing-cloud-computing-2023-8>

"Sooner or later, everything old is new again.

We may be at this point in tech, where supposedly revolutionary products are

(More...)

William Crowther: statue of Tasmanian premier who beheaded body of Aboriginal man to be taken down

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:29:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/24/william-crowther-statue-franklin-square-hobart-taken-down-beheaded-aboriginal-man>

"The statue of a former Tasmanian premier who beheaded the body of an
Aboriginal man will be taken down after passing a final vote.

(More...)

Space Junk Targeted For Removal May Already Have Been Struck… by Space Junk

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:30:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/space-junk-targeted-for-removal-may-already-have-been-struck-by-space-junk>

"We have a problem.

Ever since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, we have been launching debris into

(More...)

New research shows renewables are more profitable than nuclear power

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:32:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/08/22/new-research-shows-renewables-are-more-profitable-than-nuclear-power/>

"A group of researchers from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the
Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), and the Potsdam Institute for Climate
Impact Research (PIK) have published new research questioning recent efforts to

(More...)

Trampling plants, damaging rock art, risking your life: taking selfies in nature has a cost

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:33:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/trampling-plants-damaging-rock-art-risking-your-life-taking-selfies-in-nature-has-a-cost-211901>

"In the age of the selfie taking photos of yourself has become an everyday
occurrence. Half of all teenagers regularly post selfies. Driven by social
media algorithms, many of us now flock to natural places for the best selfie

(More...)

Birdwatching, immune responses and evolutionary mapping honoured at 2023 Eureka Prizes

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:33:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/birdwatching-immune-responses-and-evolutionary-mapping-honoured-at-2023-eureka-prizes-212102>

"Hundreds of scientists from across the country have gathered at the Australian
Museum in Sydney for the presentation of the Eureka Prizes. Awarded annually
since 1990, the prizes recognise outstanding contributions to science and the

(More...)

Victoria to halve gender pay gap in public service – and name 70% of new streets after women

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:35:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/24/victoria-to-halve-gender-pay-gap-in-public-service-and-name-most-new-streets-after-women>

"Victoria will name 70% of new roads, placenames and landmarks after women and
halve the pay gap in the public service as part of a new strategy to achieve
gender equity in the state.

(More...)

Broader Lessons About Resilience from Maui’s Fires

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:00:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.justsecurity.org/87698/broader-lessons-about-resilience-from-mauis-fires/>

"Maui’s devastating fires — striking at the heart of the ancient Hawaiian
kingdom, Lahaina, where the community has quickly rallied together — should
drive home the critical importance of close ties between neighbors and

(More...)

Mapping the scale of Canada’s record wildfires

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:01:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/23/mapping-the-scale-of-canadas-record-wildfires>

"Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record with tens of
thousands of people being driven out of their homes and the federal government
forced to deploy the military to several regions over the past months.

(More...)

Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech sounded more like a snake oil salesman than a statesman

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:02:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/narendra-modis-independence-day-speech-sounded-more-like-a-snake-oil-salesman-than-a-statesman-211389>

"Narendra Modi’s tenth consecutive Independence Day speech as Indian prime
minister, delivered from the Red Fort in Delhi on August 15, was long (90
minutes) and characteristically loaded with bombast. It was not the inclusive

(More...)

Record heatwave persists in US as 130 million under alerts in 22 states

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:06:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/23/us-heat-warnings-22-states-record-heatwave-continues>

"A record-breaking heatwave continued to spread across the central US on
Wednesday, placing about 130 million people under heat alerts in 22 states, and
prompting warnings from weather experts of potentially deadly conditions.

(More...)

‘We can’t go shopping without police coming’: north Queensland’s at-risk youth feel excluded and heavily surveilled

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:07:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-cant-go-shopping-without-police-coming-north-queenslands-at-risk-youth-feel-excluded-and-heavily-surveilled-211885>

"Youth crime in Australia has been the subject of sensationalist media coverage
and growing community concern, particularly in north Queensland.

(More...)

Australia urgently needs a grid upgrade – but the march of new power lines faces a bush revolt

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 20:08:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/renewable-energy-new-power-lines-for-transmission-risks-concerns>

"If you ask Paul and Andrea Sturgess how much their view is worth, the answer
is: priceless. To the electricity transmission network operator Transgrid, it’s
less than $800,000.

(More...)

Indigenous peoples still face effects of mass bison slaughter

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 03:58:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.futurity.org/indigenous-peoples-bison-slaughter-economy-2964972/>

"The slaughter by settlers of European descent is a well-known ecological
disaster. An estimated eight million bison roamed the United States in 1870,
but just 20 years later fewer than 500 of the iconic animals remained.

(More...)

Taking more than 5 pills a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm – especially for older people

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:04:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/taking-more-than-5-pills-a-day-deprescribing-can-prevent-harm-especially-for-older-people-211424>

"People are living longer and with more chronic health conditions – including
heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and dementia – than ever before. As
societies continue to grow older, one pressing concern is the use of multiple

(More...)

How wealthy "super emitters" are disproportionately driving the climate crisis — while blaming you

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:06:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.salon.com/2023/08/22/how-wealthy-super-emitters-are-disproportionately-driving-the-climate--while-blaming-you/>

'Climate change is primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels, as well as
other activities that produce greenhouse gases. But that blame is not evenly
distributed amongst the entire human species.

(More...)

Fossil fuels being subsidised at rate of $13m a minute, says IMF

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:08:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/24/fossil-fuel-subsidies-imf-report-climate-crisis-oil-gas-coal>

"Fossil fuels benefited from record subsidies of $13m (£10.3m) a minute in
2022, according to the International Monetary Fund, despite being the primary
cause of the climate crisis.

(More...)

Penguin Breeding Colonies Catastrophically Failing as Ice Vanishes in Antarctica

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:09:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/penguin-breeding-colonies-catastrophically-failing-as-ice-vanishes-in-antarctica>

'Sea ice loss in Antarctica during 2022's emperor penguin breeding season
resulted in the complete failure of four out of the five breeding colonies in
the Bellingshausen Sea.

(More...)

Russia has declared a new space race, hoping to join forces with China. Here’s why that’s unlikely

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:10:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/russia-has-declared-a-new-space-race-hoping-to-join-forces-with-china-heres-why-thats-unlikely-211993>

"This week, the Russian space agency Roscosmos had hoped to return to the Moon
after an absence of nearly 50 years. Instead, on Saturday it lost control of
its Luna-25 lander. The agency explained the spacecraft “switched to an

(More...)

Scientists find the last remnants of the human genome that were missing in the Y chromosome

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:49:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/scientists-find-the-last-remnants-of-the-human-genome-that-were-missing-in-the-y-chromosome-212141>

"More than 20 years ago, the human genome was first sequenced. While the first
version was full of “holes” representing missing DNA sequences, the genome has
been gradually improved in successive rounds. Each has increased the quality of

(More...)

Political support for surveillance of Covid waning in Australia despite ‘waves of mutations’, scientists say

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:50:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/covid-19-virus-what-caused-funding-slowing>

"Political momentum for the monitoring and surveillance of Covid-19 is
“fading”, the Australian virologist who developed a world-first method for
rapidly isolating and characterising variants said.

(More...)

Disease in the dirt: how mange-causing mites decimated a Tasmanian wombat population

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:52:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/disease-in-the-dirt-how-mange-causing-mites-decimated-a-tasmanian-wombat-population-211992>

"More than 80% of Australian mammals are found nowhere else in the world. Many
of these unique, iconic creatures are under threat.

(More...)

Reforms needed after ‘horrendous’ Catholic church approach in paedophile priest cases, lawyers say

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:53:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/25/reforms-needed-after-horrendous-catholic-church-approach-in-paedophile-priest-cases-lawyers-say>

"Lawyers for two Indigenous abuse survivors have called for reforms to address
the “horrendous” Catholic church strategy of seeking to permanently block cases
where alleged paedophile priests have died.

(More...)

Censorship or sensible: is it bad to listen to Fat Bottomed Girls with your kids?

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:54:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/censorship-or-sensible-is-it-bad-to-listen-to-fat-bottomed-girls-with-your-kids-212093>

"International music press has reported this week that Queen’s song Fat
Bottomed Girls
 has not been included in a greatest hits compilation aimed at
children.

(More...)

Public consultation ‘overwhelmingly’ supports fuel efficiency standard for cars, Labor says

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:55:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/public-consultation-overwhelmingly-supports-fuel-efficiency-standard-for-cars-labor-says>

"The Albanese government’s promise to introduce a fuel efficiency standard for
cars has been “overwhelmingly” supported by a public consultation process,
Labor says.

(More...)

Junk fees and drip pricing: the underhanded tactics we hate yet still fall for

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:28:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/junk-fees-and-drip-pricing-the-underhanded-tactics-we-hate-yet-still-fall-for-211117>

"You see a fantastic offer, like a hotel room. You decide to book. Then it
turns out there is a service fee. Then a cleaning fee. Then a few other extra
costs. By the time you pay the final price, it is no longer the fantastic offer

(More...)

Emperor penguins: thousands of chicks in Antarctica die due to record-low sea ice levels

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:29:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/25/emperor-penguins-thousands-of-chicks-in-antarctica-likely-died-due-to-record-low-sea-ice-levels>

"Thousands of emperor penguin chicks across four colonies in Antarctica are
believed to have died because of record-low sea ice levels that caused a
“catastrophic breeding failure” in late 2022, according to new research.

(More...)

Australian Geographic's best 2023 nature photographers revealed

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:31:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https:/www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-25/australian-geographic-nature-photographer-winners-revealed-/102776280>

'From under the sea to a bush toilet, the beauty of nature can be found
everywhere as these talented photographers have revealed.

(More...)

From Nixon to Trump: The Decline of the Common Good in American Politics

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:32:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-common-good-chapter-5-three-big

"Friends,

America’s failure to hold Richard Nixon accountable for his attacks on

(More...)

Is Hercule Poirot autistic? Here are seven clues that he might be

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:33:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-hercule-poirot-autistic-here-are-seven-clues-that-he-might-be-210725>

"Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective with the flamboyant moustache and keen
eye for detail, is one of the most beloved characters in crime fiction. He was
created by British writer Agatha Christie and first arrived on our bookshelves

(More...)

Asylum seekers in Greece ‘facing two great injustices of our time’

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:34:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/24/asylum-seekers-greece-wildfires-refugees-migration-climate-crisis>

"Refugees and migrants in Greece are facing off against the “two great
injustices of our times”, Amnesty International has said, as it linked
wildfires and scant access to legal migration routes to the deaths of 19 people

(More...)

How bees can monitor pollution for us – everything from toxic metals to antimicrobial resistance

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:42:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-bees-can-monitor-pollution-for-us-everything-from-toxic-metals-to-antimicrobial-resistance-211739>

"Our cities are complex places of work, industry and residential activities.
This often makes it hard to pin down the spread of different contaminants
throughout them.

(More...)

Small, Electric, Traffic Beating Vehicles For Every Occasion!

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:43:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ5bigWTESo

"When unconstrained by an engine, mobility can get a lot more flexible, opening
up the opportunity to make a huge array of various things that get people from
A-B. That's certainly what Vancouver based ENVO believes and they are exploring

(More...)

Bushfires focus public attention on climate change for months, but it’s different for storms and floods

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:44:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/bushfires-focus-public-attention-on-climate-change-for-months-but-its-different-for-storms-and-floods-212096>

"As the world warms and the climate changes, people are experiencing more
frequent and intense extreme weather events. Just this year, heatwaves blasted
southern Europe, the United States and China; wildfires lit up Greece, Canada

(More...)

Small Modular Reactors Aren’t Silver Bullet for Nuclear Energy Challenges

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:46:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-future-is-electric/small-modular-reactors-arent-silver-bullet-for-nuclear-energy-challenges-392ce0752ec6>

"One of the topics in my recent discussion with Bent Flyvbjerg, probably the
leading global academic in megaproject failures and successes, someone who has
consulted to over 100 projects costing more than a billion USD, was the

(More...)

Pick a Repairable Laptop for School, Not a Chromebook

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:48:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.ifixit.com/News/80127/pick-a-repairable-laptop-for-school-not-a-chromebook>

"When you buy a new laptop for school, you’ve got a lot of things to worry
about: Will it let you do all your schoolwork? Does it fit in your budget? Does
it fit in your backpack? You probably don’t think to check whether it’s still

(More...)

'Worthless': Scientists Warn Carbon Offsets Are a Dangerous Illusion

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 03:50:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/worthless-scientists-warn-carbon-offsets-are-a-dangerous-illusion>

'In early 2023, the Guardian published an article suggesting that more than
90% of rainforest carbon offsets are worthless. These credits are essentially a
promise to protect forests and can be bought as a way to "offset" emissions

(More...)

Reclaiming Control: The Internet Archive Empowers People. Gatekeepers Keep Suing

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:06:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/23/reclaiming-control-the-internet-archive-empowers-people-so-gatekeepers-keep-suing/>

"As a child, nothing warmed me more than my mother’s “Three C’s Soup”: Cabbage,
Carrot, Carraway from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book: Living the High
Carbohydrate Way
 (published in 1980 and still in print, no ebook version has

(More...)

Talk About It: How Climate Conversation Groups Inspire Action

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:07:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/climate-conversation-groups-action/

"In 2020, artist Nicole Cooper was conducting research for a painting series
when she stumbled upon a NASA chart showing temperature rise throughout
history. “I had this realization of, ‘Look at how fast temperatures are rising

(More...)

Leakage or spillover? Conservation parks boost biodiversity outside them – but there’s a catch, new study shows

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:09:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/leakage-or-spillover-conservation-parks-boost-biodiversity-outside-them-but-theres-a-catch-new-study-shows-212014>

"It’s easy to assume protected areas such as national parks conserve wildlife –
that seems obvious. But what is the proof? And how does park success vary
across different ecosystems – in deserts versus tropical rainforests, or

(More...)

The first generation of solar panels will wear out. A recycling industry is taking shape

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:10:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/recycle-solar-panel-circular-economy-sustainability-dc7284bab2180b5bd86ff5cb5c847652>

"Sunlight beats down on a graveyard for dead solar panels in Yuma, Arizona,
hundreds stacked in neat piles, waiting for their next life. The great majority
of worn and damaged panels are still dumped in landfills. But with more and

(More...)

Cement-based supercapacitor makes a novel energy storage system

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:11:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://physicsworld.com/a/cement-based-supercapacitor-makes-a-novel-energy-storage-system/>

"A new cost-effective and efficient supercapacitor made from carbon black and
cement could store a day’s worth of energy in the concrete foundation of a
building or provide contactless recharging for electric cars as they travel

(More...)

The Chilling Truth: Antarctica Just Lost an Ice Mass the Size of My Country

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:16:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-new-climate/the-chilling-truth-antarctica-just-lost-an-ice-mass-the-size-of-my-country-d8970933f260>

"Some time ago, a friend asked me if I believed in infinity. It was an easy
answer: infinity is walking through Antarctic glaciers, the repetitive and
overwhelming whiteness of the landscapes, and the feeling of walking in

(More...)

Lives saved by public health restrictions over the Victorian COVID-19 Delta variant epidemic wave, Aug-Nov 2021

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:38:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755436523000385

"Background

Prior to mid-2021, Australia’s approach to COVID-19 was to eliminate community

(More...)

Supermarket plastic bag charge has led to 98% drop in use in England, data shows

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:39:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/31/government-urged-to-repeat-success-of-plastic-bag-charge>

"Environmental campaigners have called on the government to learn from its own
successes after official figures showed the use of single-use supermarket
plastic bags had fallen 98% since retailers in England began charging for them

(More...)

12,000 Km On The Weirdest Electric Vehicles Yet!!

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:40:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr46_DknhGg

"What do you get when you mix an electric motor, some batteries and a bit of
engineering know-how?! Well it turns out, basically anything! In this episode
we meet Justin, founder and CEO of Vancouver based Grin Technologies to see the

(More...)

Rapid progress of key clean energy technologies shows the new energy economy is emerging faster than many think

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:41:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.iea.org/news/rapid-progress-of-key-clean-energy-technologies-shows-the-new-energy-economy-is-emerging-faster-than-many-think>

"The pace of deployment of some clean energy technologies – such as solar PV
and electric vehicles – shows what can be achieved with sufficient ambition and
policy action, but faster change is urgently needed across most components of

(More...)

When the Town Square Shatters

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:42:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://doctorow.medium.com/when-the-town-square-shatters-a7377ed4eff>

"When it comes to the social internet, chances are that science fiction fans
got there first. The first non-technical discussion forums on the internet —
ancient mailing lists — were devoted to sf. The original high-traffic

(More...)

Big Oil’s Talent Crisis: High Salaries Are No Longer Enough

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:44:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/Min0O

"Good news from the oil patch: Jobs are plentiful and salaries are soaring.

The bad news is that young people still aren’t interested.

(More...)

China's gasoline demand peak nears as EV boom hastens transition

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:51:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-gasoline-demand-peak-nears-ev-boom-hastens-transition-2023-07-28/>

'July 28 (Reuters) - China's demand for petrol is likely to peak as early as
next year as electric vehicle sales soar, several analysts say, bringing
forward an energy transition milestone for the world's biggest polluter and a

(More...)

It’s not an ‘electric bike craze.’ You’re looking at the future of transportation

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:52:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://electrek.co/2023/08/22/electric-bike-craze-future-of-transportation/>

"As electric bikes become increasingly popular in cities across the US, some in
the media are trying to wrap their heads around this reported “electric bike
craze.” But make no mistake, this isn’t some short-lived enthusiasm or a

(More...)

Europe hits roadblocks in the race to switch to electric cars

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:53:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/26/europe-roadblocks-race-switch-electric-cars-evs-zero-emission-goal>

"European countries are struggling to persuade people to switch from combustion
engine cars to electric ones, experts warn.

(More...)

Prefiguring Degrowth

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:54:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://nishikantsheorey.substack.com/p/prefiguring-degrowth

"From 15-17 May of this year, much of the academic Degrowth community gathered
at the EU Parliament in Brussels for the Beyond Growth Conference. While it
wasn’t the first of its kind—there had been gatherings organized similarly in

(More...)

How one device could help transform our power grid

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:56:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencenews.org/article/one-device-transform-power-electical-grid-inverter>

"From Colorado to Washington, from Ohio to Pennsylvania, coal-fired power
plants are shutting down. The United States is on track to retire half of its
capacity to generate electricity from coal by 2026. That’s a remarkably fast

(More...)

Renewables continue to vastly outscale nuclear in China

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:57:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://medium.com/the-future-is-electric/renewables-continue-to-vastly-outscale-nuclear-in-china-ad3a0b4fa0a1>

"I’ve been publishing assessments of the poor performance of nuclear compared
to wind and solar in China for years (2014, 2019, 2021, 2022). My premise nine
years ago was a first principles assertion with limited empirical results that

(More...)

How to keep coal unprofitable in China

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:19:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://chinadialogue.net/en/business/how-to-keep-coal-unprofitable-in-china/>

"The general global turmoil since 2020 has sent many markets and sectors on
rollercoaster rides. Rocketing energy prices, in particular, have had
significant impacts. While most global energy businesses watched the money roll

(More...)

BA.2.86 shows just how risky slacking off on COVID monitoring is

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:20:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/08/ba-2-86-shows-just-how-risky-slacking-off-on-covid-monitoring-is/>

"A remarkably mutated coronavirus variant classified as BA.2.86 seized
scientists' attention last week as it popped up in four countries, including
the US.

(More...)

Climate change: China sets stage for more of its transport to run on solar energy

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:22:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/dI3gz

"China plans to have more of its public transport either powered by or
generating solar energy, as the country looks to further decarbonise one of the
world’s largest transport systems and boost its solar capacity to meet its

(More...)

From Sea to Plate to Sea: How Oyster Shells Are Shoring Up Coastlines

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:26:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/recycled-oyster-shells-restoring-shorelines-louisiana/>

"Around this time each year, thousands of volunteer environmentalists in
Louisiana enlist themselves to bag oyster shells for recycling. Later, they
will wade into the Gulf of Mexico’s waters; in a line, shoulder to shoulder,

(More...)

Floating Solar Panels Turn Old Industrial Sites Into Green Energy Goldmines

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:28:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/YPUNr

"Putting solar panels on water to generate power sounded like a dangerous
gimmick to Benedikt Ortmann when he first heard about the idea.

(More...)

South-east Australia marine heatwave forecast to be literally off the scale

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:29:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/27/south-east-australia-marine-heatwave-forecast-to-be-literally-off-the-scale>

"Australia’s south-east could be in for a marine heatwave that is literally off
the scale, raising the prospect of significant losses in fishing and
aquaculture.

(More...)

Rio Tinto writes off $1.7bn of aluminium refineries, citing costs of Australia’s carbon emissions reduction scheme

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:01:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.mining-technology.com/news/rio-tinto-writes-off-aluminium-refineries/>

"Rio Tinto has written off A$1.7bn ($1.2bn) as losses and devaluation to its
aluminium refineries in 2023 due to the mounting costs of Australia’s carbon
emissions reduction scheme.

(More...)

‘Their Voices Will Be Heard Now’: How a Colorado Community Preserved Affordable Housing

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:02:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/colorado-mobile-home-park-collective-ownership-affordable-housing/>

"On a quiet day this spring, Alejandra Chavez walked into her office at
Westside Mobile Home Park in Durango, Colorado. Residents were gathered in the
community space, discussing their plans for the park’s future, some leaning on

(More...)

Fight Fire With — AI? Artificial Intelligence Tackles Wildfires

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:03:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/08/02/fight-fire-with-ai-artificial-intelligence-tackles-wildfires/>

"With wildfires blazing across Canada and blotting out the sun in much of
America’s Midwest and Western Europe, not to mention the onset of California’s
“wildfire season,” the rush is on to create better early response technology

(More...)

Judge Rules in Favor of Montana Youths in a Landmark Climate Case

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:04:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/montana-youth-climate-ruling.html

"A group of young people in Montana won a landmark lawsuit on Monday when a
judge ruled that the state’s failure to consider climate change when approving
fossil fuel projects was unconstitutional.

(More...)

Our Galaxy Is Home to Trillions of Worlds Gone Rogue

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:06:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/lQoIg

"Free-floating planets — dark, isolated orbs roaming the universe unfettered to
any host star — don’t just pop into existence in the middle of cosmic nowhere.
They probably form the same way other planets do: within the swirling disk of

(More...)

COMIC: In the '90s I survived summers in Egypt with no AC. How would it feel now?

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:07:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/27/1195966057/comic-in-the-90s-i-survived-summers-in-egypt-with-no-ac-how-would-it-feel-now>

"In elementary school, NPR's Malaka Gharib visited her dad in Cairo each
summer. It was hot, there was no AC — but she coped. In this age of global
warming, she wonders: How are Egyptians getting by?"

(More...)

Children reaching UK in small boats sent to jail that houses adult sex offenders

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:10:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/27/children-reaching-uk-in-small-boats-sent-to-jail-for-adult-sex-offenders>

"Vulnerable children who arrive in Britain by small boat are being placed in an
adult prison that holds significant numbers of sex offenders.

(More...)

After hottest summer on record, heat-related illnesses are now being tracked nationwide

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:12:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://19thnews.org/2023/08/heat-related-illnesses-dashboard-biden-administration/>

"A new dashboard launched by the Biden administration to track heat-related
illnesses will help municipalities and medical professionals with prevention
efforts and assist families as they make housing decisions, particularly for

(More...)

This startup is using robots to 3D print giant wind turbine blades

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:15:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.fastcompany.com/90932286/this-startup-is-using-robots-to-3d-print-giant-wind-turbine-blades>
or https://archive.md/lFcHq

"One of the challenges of building a new wind farm is transportation: If a wind
turbine blade is 200 feet long, or even longer, it can’t easily travel down

(More...)

The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:16:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/12/climate/clean-energy-us-fossil-fuels.html>

"Delivery vans in Pittsburgh. Buses in Milwaukee. Cranes loading freight at the
Port of Los Angeles. Every municipal building in Houston. All are powered by
electricity derived from the sun, wind or other sources of clean energy.

(More...)

This new robot cleans solar panels without using any water

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:17:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/this-new-robot-cleans-solar-panels-without-using-any-water>

"Enel Green Power has conceived of a new robot that can clean solar panels
without using any water. This comes especially handy in dry and arid regions
where water is scarce and dust is high.

(More...)

New solution for e-waste: repurpose devices into processors

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:18:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/new-solution-for-e-waste-repurpose-devices-into-processors>

"In October of 2022, Interesting Engineering reported that the international
waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) forum estimated that 5.3
billion mobile phones would go to landfills in 2022 alone. This is an

(More...)

Memes About Animal Resistance Are Everywhere — Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Laugh Off Rebellious Orcas and Sea Otters Too Quickly

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:41:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/memes-about-animal-resistance-are-everywhere-heres-why-you-shouldnt-laugh>

"Memes galore centered on the “orca revolution” have inundated the online
realm. They gleefully depict orcas launching attacks on boats in the Strait of
Gibraltar and off the Shetland coast.

(More...)

Journalism fails miserably at explaining what is really happening to America

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:43:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/media-2020-election-trump-authoritarianism-20230827.html>

"They stood on an arena stage in Milwaukee under a massive sign that read
“Democracy” — the metaphorical 800-pound gorilla that loomed over this strange
political event but was never really discussed. When the dust finally settled

(More...)

Does private health insurance cut public hospital waiting lists? We found it barely makes a dent

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:44:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/does-private-health-insurance-cut-public-hospital-waiting-lists-we-found-it-barely-makes-a-dent-211680>

"The more people take up private health insurance, the less pressure on the
public hospital system, including shorter waiting lists for surgery. That’s one
of the key messages we’ve been hearing from government and the private health

(More...)

Female scientists found to be almost entirely absent from Australian high school curriculum

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:46:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/28/female-scientists-absent-australian-textbooks>

"Female scientists are almost entirely omitted from Australian curriculum, a
new study has found, with researchers warning the “alarming” lack of
representation could be contributing to the gender gap in the field of Stem.

(More...)

Indigenous rangers are burning the desert the right way – to stop the wrong kind of intense fires from raging

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:47:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/indigenous-rangers-are-burning-the-desert-the-right-way-to-stop-the-wrong-kind-of-intense-fires-from-raging-211900>

"Even though it’s still winter, the fire season has already started in
Australia’s arid centre. About half of the Tjoritja West MacDonnell National
Park west of Alice Springs has burnt this year.

(More...)

Detained Australian writer fears he may die of kidney condition in China jail

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:48:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/28/yang-hengjun-detained-australian-writer-fears-he-may-die-kidney-condition-china-jail>

"Detained Australian writer Yang Hengjun fears he could die in a Chinese prison
from a worsening medical condition he says is not being properly treated.

(More...)

Gender-based violence is a big concern in hospitality – and women bear the brunt of managing it

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:32:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/gender-based-violence-is-a-big-concern-in-hospitality-and-women-bear-the-brunt-of-managing-it-212107>

"Gender-based violence, particularly sexual harassment, is a serious and
persistent problem across the workforce.

(More...)

Taliban ban women from national park in Afghanistan

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:33:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/27/taliban-bans-women-from-national-park-in-afghanistan>

"The Taliban have banned women from visiting one of Afghanistan’s most popular
national parks, adding to a long list of restrictions aimed at shrinking
women’s access to public places.

(More...)

Rat poison is killing our beloved native owls and tawny frogmouths – and that’s the tip of the iceberg

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:34:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/rat-poison-is-killing-our-beloved-native-owls-and-tawny-frogmouths-and-thats-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-212184>

"There’s nothing quite like having a rodent problem in your home. Most people
will do anything to get rid of them.

(More...)

Hundreds of firefighters battle raging Greek wildfires

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:35:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/27/hundreds-of-firefighters-battle-raging-greek-wildfires>

"More than 600 firefighters, including reinforcements from several European
countries, backed by a fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters, are
battling three major wildfires in Greece, two of which have been raging for

(More...)

Thefts expose British Museum’s ‘ridiculous’ stance on return of artefacts, says MP

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:36:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/aug/27/thefts-expose-british-museums-ridiculous-stance-on-return-of-artefacts-says-mp>

"An MP has said suspected thefts at the British Museum have exposed the
“insulting ridiculousness” of its refusal to return contested artefacts to
their country of origin on security grounds.

(More...)

What the Webb Space Telescope Will Show Us Next

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:36:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/fgYKd

"Since the European Space Agency launched NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
from French Guiana, on Christmas Day, 2021, the telescope has hovered in space
about a million miles from Earth. During its voyage, the J.W.S.T. unfolded like

(More...)

Salt-free diet ‘can reduce risk of heart problems by almost 20%’

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:42:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/aug/27/salt-free-diet-reduce-risk-heart-problems-20-per-cent>

"Cutting out salt from meals can slash your risk of heart problems and strokes
by almost a fifth, the largest study of its kind suggests.

(More...)

Air pollution in Europe: 2023 reporting status under the National Emission reduction Commitments Directive

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:43:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/national-emission-reduction-commitments-directive-2023>

"This briefing describes the progress made by the EU and its Member States
towards reducing emissions of the five main air pollutants regulated under the
National Emission reduction Commitments Directive. It presents an assessment of

(More...)

Joe Biden's Gonna Secretly Replace Your Ceiling Fan With Commie Crystals. Let's Watch!

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:44:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.wonkette.com/p/joe-bidens-gonna-secretly-replace

"Are you a God-fearing, patriotic American who owns a ceiling fan and loves it
like your own child or your stockpile of AR-15s? Well, that senile, old tyrant
Joe Biden is coming for your preferred home cooling device.

(More...)

Grand Canyon National Monument Offers New Protections for Lands Sacred to Tribes

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:49:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/president-biden-grand-canyon-national-monument/>

"The fight against uranium mining has been part of Dianna Sue White Dove
Uqualla’s life since before she can remember. Uqualla, 64, is Havasupai, and
she grew up several thousand feet below the south rim of the Grand Canyon in

(More...)

Australia’s environment must be given legal priority over land-clearing and logging to survive, Ken Henry says

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:50:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/25/dr-ken-henry-environment-land-clearing-logging>

"Australia’s natural environment is in crisis and protecting it must become the
top priority in government policy and legislation if it is to have a chance, a
former Treasury chief says.

(More...)

'They Will Never Change on Their Own': Top Oil Giants Have No Serious Plans to Curb Emissions

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:54:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.commondreams.org/news/oil-company-emissions

'A new analysis of the activities of twelve major fossil fuel giants shows that
the companies are misleading the public about their emission-reduction
commitments while raking in record profits from fossil fuels, which are driving

(More...)

Peter Paul & Mary Talk about The March On Washington & Sing Songs 1963

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:08:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUpG0Cev7qc

Peter Paul and Mary started to sing Bob Dylan's songs when Albert Grossman
brought an acetate of Blowing in the Wind and this song was so stunning
and so magical that we took it right away, made an arrangement, went into

(More...)

Think curbing overseas migration will end the housing crisis? It won’t – and we can’t afford to do it

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:10:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/think-curbing-overseas-migration-will-end-the-housing-crisis-it-wont-and-we-cant-afford-to-do-it-211120>

"With the nation feeling the pressures of a housing crisis, some believe the
Australian government needs to ease housing demand by limiting international
migration.

(More...)

Guatemala arrests anti-corruption lawyer, prompting international outcry

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:11:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/29/guatemala-arrests-anti-corruption-lawyer-prompting-international-outcry>

"Guatemala has arrested a former member of a United Nations-backed
anti-corruption mission, the latest in a string of legal actions taken against
those who prosecuted government wrongdoing and organised crime.

(More...)

How drought in Central America is pushing up the cost of living in Australia

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:12:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-drought-in-central-america-is-pushing-up-the-cost-of-living-in-australia-211999>

"What does a drought in Central America have to do with Australia’s cost of
living? Quite a lot, if the drought affects the Panama Canal.

(More...)

As Australia strengthens its ties with the Philippines, it’s wading even further into the dangerous South China Sea

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:42:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/as-australia-strengthens-its-ties-with-the-philippines-its-wading-even-further-into-the-dangerous-south-china-sea-212111>

"At the end of last week, 1,200 Australian troops took part in a joint military
exercise in the Philippines with hundreds of Filipino and American forces.
Their mission: simulating the retaking of an island by a hostile force,

(More...)

Australia’s federal whistleblowing laws have not protected anyone since inception, analysis shows

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:42:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/29/australias-federal-whistleblowing-laws-have-not-protected-anyone-since-inception-analysis-shows>

"Australia’s federal whistleblowing laws have not successfully protected a
single person since their inception, an analysis of available court records
suggests.

(More...)

How did Australia’s university system get so broken? Pretty much the same way as everything else

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:44:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/25/how-did-australias-university-system-get-so-broken-pretty-much-the-same-way-as-everything-else>

"On Monday, unionised workers at the University of Melbourne (where I teach)
will go on strike. In the faculty of arts, the Melbourne law school, student
services and library services we’ll stay out for a week – longer than any

(More...)

Prompt engineering: is being an AI ‘whisperer’ the job of the future or a short-lived fad?

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:44:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/prompt-engineering-is-being-an-ai-whisperer-the-job-of-the-future-or-a-short-lived-fad-211833>

"As generative AI settles into the mainstream, growing numbers of courses and
certifications are promising entry into the “hot job” of prompt engineering.

(More...)

Climate change threatens the rights of children. The UN just outlined the obligations states have to protect them

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:45:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/climate-change-threatens-the-rights-of-children-the-un-just-outlined-the-obligations-states-have-to-protect-them-209587>

"Climate change is not just an environmental crisis, it’s a human rights
crisis. And the humans to be most affected by climate catastrophe are the
youngest ones: children.

(More...)

Home of endangered marsupial hit by state-sanctioned logging in NSW, environmentalists say

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:46:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/28/home-of-endangered-marsupial-threatened-by-state-sanctioned-logging-in-nsw-environmentalists-say>

"Conservation groups have accused a New South Wales agency of logging one of
the last known strongholds of the greater glider, an endangered marsupial
species, and urged the state government to intervene.

(More...)

They sense electric fields, tolerate snow and have ‘mating trains’: 4 reasons echidnas really are remarkable

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:47:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/they-sense-electric-fields-tolerate-snow-and-have-mating-trains-4-reasons-echidnas-really-are-remarkable-210556>

"Many of us love seeing an echidna. Their shuffling walk, inquisitive gaze and
protective spines are unmistakable, coupled with the coarse hair and stubby
beak.

(More...)

The little-known political confidant who ‘helped steer’ Australia’s leaders is finally remembered

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:49:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/28/the-little-known-political-confidant-who-helped-steer-our-nations-leaders-is-finally-remembered>

"During the decades I lived in and wrote about Canberra, perhaps the most
intriguing person I came across was Gamilaroi and Darug man Alfred – “Alf” –
Stafford.

(More...)

Dramatic climate action needed to curtail ‘crazy’ extreme weather

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:49:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/28/dramatic-climate-action-needed-curtail-extreme-weather>

"The “crazy” extreme weather rampaging around the globe in 2023 will become the
norm within a decade without dramatic climate action, the world’s leading
climate scientists have said.

(More...)

Facing a Future of Drought, Spain Turns to Medieval Solutions and ‘Ancient Wisdom’

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:51:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/giHNs

"High in Spain’s southern mountains, 40 or so people armed with pitchforks and
spades cleared stones and piles of grass from an earthwork channel built
centuries ago and still keeping the slopes green.

(More...)

Growing number of countries consider making ecocide a crime

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:52:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/26/growing-number-of-countries-consider-making-ecocide-crime>

"A growing number of countries are considering introducing laws to make ecocide
a crime.

(More...)

If You Want To Be Friends, Then Why Aren’t You Friendly?

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:54:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://armoxon.substack.com/p/if-you-want-to-be-friends-then-why

"Travis Ikeguchi, 27-year old superfan of supremacist right-wing media
propaganda, murdered Laura Ann Carleton, 66-year old fan of human beings in all
their wonderful variety. Perhaps you heard about this on the news.

(More...)

‘Off-the-charts records’: has humanity finally broken the climate?

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:52:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/28/crazy-off-the-charts-records-has-humanity-finally-broken-the-climate>

"The record-shattering heatwaves, wildfires and floods destroying lives in the
US, Europe, India, China and beyond in 2023 have raised an alarming question:
have humanity’s relentless carbon emissions finally pushed the climate crisis

(More...)

The Dutch Recession, The End of American Pandemic Savings, and Why One House Survived the Hawaii Fires

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:53:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://survivingtomorrow.org/the-dutch-recession-the-end-of-american-pandemic-savings-and-why-one-house-survived-the-hawaii-cff9351f0d92>

"Last Week in Collapse is a new weekly round-up, bringing together some of
the most important, timely, useful, depressing, ironic, amazing, or otherwise
must-see moments in Collapse."

(More...)

‘An Aussie icon’: burnt-out car wreck begins 4,356km journey across Western Australia

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:56:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/aug/28/the-journey-down-road-trip-wa-museum-boola-bardip-warnarral-ngoorrngoorrool>

"They appear out of nowhere. A series of rusted car wrecks baked into the red
dirt flanking the Great Northern Highway near Warmun, a small Indigenous
township in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Some are wreathed in a

(More...)

The World’s Therapists Are Talking to Ukraine

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:57:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/mental-health-telehealth-ukraine-war/

"After Russian armed forces moved on Kyiv in February 2022, Ivan (not his real
name) decided that, despite the risks, he would fight to defend his city and
his country.

(More...)

Flying under the radar: Australia’s silent and growing competition crisis

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:57:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/flying-under-the-radar-australias-silent-and-growing-competition-crisis-212116>

"Australia has long had far less competition in consumer markets than the US.

New research from the e61 Institute finds that in all but one of 17 broad

(More...)

China continues coal spree despite climate goals

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:59:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/29/china-coal-plants-climate-goals-carbon>

"China is approving new coal power projects at the equivalent of two plants
every week, a rate energy watchdogs say is unsustainable if the country hopes
to achieve its energy targets.

(More...)

‘I tend to be very gentle’: how teachers are navigating climate change in the classroom

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:31:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/i-tend-to-be-very-gentle-how-teachers-are-navigating-climate-change-in-the-classroom-212370>

"Climate change education is increasingly seen as an essential part of
schooling.

(More...)

Greece wildfire declared largest ever recorded in EU

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:32:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/29/greece-wildfire-declared-largest-ever-recorded-in-eu>

"A forest blaze in Greece is the largest wildfire ever recorded in the EU and
the bloc is mobilising nearly half its firefighting air wing to tackle it, a
European Commission spokesperson has said.

(More...)

Half of migrant and refugee women we spoke to have been sexually harassed in Australian workplaces

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:33:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/half-of-migrant-and-refugee-women-we-spoke-to-have-been-sexually-harassed-in-australian-workplaces-212371>

"In our new study, published on Tuesday, we surveyed 701 migrant and refugee
women in Australia and found nearly half had experienced sexual harassment in
the workplace over the past five years.

(More...)

The great cancellation: why megabucks TV shows are vanishing without a trace

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:38:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/aug/29/the-great-cancellation-why-megabucks-tv-shows-are-vanishing-without-a-trace>

"Two years ago, Nautilus was big news. A vast, expensive Disney+ prequel to
Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the SeaNautilus promised to tell the
early story of Captain Nemo as he embarked on an epic submarine adventure,

(More...)

Queensland is not only trampling the rights of children, it is setting a concerning legal precedent

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:38:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/queensland-is-not-only-trampling-the-rights-of-children-it-is-setting-a-concerning-legal-precedent-212377>

"Last week, the Queensland parliament voted to override its own human rights
law in order to enable children to continue to be detained in police watch
houses and adult detention facilities.

(More...)

‘This way of farming is really sexy’: the rise of regenerative agriculture

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 19:39:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/14/this-way-of-farming-is-really-sexy-the-rise-of-regenerative-agriculture>

"Hollie Fallick looks over Brading on the Isle of Wight, at a patchwork of
fields bordered by ancient oaks, which stretches to the Solent. “We still have
to pinch ourselves every day,” says the 30-year-old, as she surveys the 50

(More...)

Machines can’t always take the heat − two engineers explain the physics behind how heat waves threaten everything from cars to computers

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:36:32 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/machines-cant-always-take-the-heat-two-engineers-explain-the-physics-behind-how-heat-waves-threaten-everything-from-cars-to-computers-210591>

"Not only people need to stay cool, especially in a summer of record-breaking
heat waves. Many machines, including cellphones, data centers, cars and
airplanes, become less efficient and degrade more quickly in extreme heat.

(More...)

How a lethal fungus is shrinking living space for our frogs

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:37:41 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-a-lethal-fungus-is-shrinking-living-space-for-our-frogs-212108>

"In 1993, frogs were found dying en masse in Far North Queensland. When
scientists analysed their bodies, they found something weird. Their small
bodies were covered in spores.

(More...)

For Indigenous Peoples With Deep Ties to the Land, Climate Change Is Personal

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:38:50 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/indigenous-peoples-climate-change-mental-health/>

"Ogiek beekeepers in Kenya are noticing less honey in their hives.

For generations, this hunter-gatherer community has lived within the lush Mau

(More...)

How indigenous conservation protects Canada's environment

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:39:54 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230809-how-indigenous-guardians-are-protecting-canadas-environment>

"Every year, when the frozen streams have melted and greenery emerges after
months of winter stillness, Dolcy Meness knows it's time. Packing their truck,
she and a colleague set off through the densely forested hills of Kitigan Zibi

(More...)

After decades, a tribe's vision for a new marine sanctuary could be coming true

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:41:04 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/2023/08/10/1192122040/chumash-tribe-california-marine-sanctuary>

'The central California coast, with its rugged beaches and kelp forests, draws
a lot of visitors for its scenic beauty. For the Chumash people, the coastline
means a lot more.

(More...)

Marker Wadden

Sun, 1 Oct 2023 04:41:58 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.natuurmonumenten.nl/projecten/marker-wadden/english-version

"Natuurmonumenten (Dutch Society for Nature Conservation) and Rijkswaterstaat
(the executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management)
are restoring one of the largest freshwater lakes in western Europe by

(More...)

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