Glass Wings Blog

The Glass Wings mailing list and blog is for general idle chit-chat about things we find interesting, especially humor, animation or other subjects relevant to the Glass Wings web site at glasswings.com.au. Subscribe at https://glasswings.com.au/subscribe.html

Has Gina Rinehart ‘bought’ One Nation? Pauline Hanson has the billionaire’s backing – and she’s super happy

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:22:08 +1000

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2026/apr/30/gina-rinehart-one-nation-pauline-hanson-donations-ntwnfb>

"Last November, when Pauline Hanson cooked a steak for Barnaby Joyce in her
parliamentary office, barely anyone raised an eyebrow that the wagyu on the
menu was from 2GR – Gina Rinehart’s beef company.

Friday essay: John Keane on demagogues, despots and the rise of ‘phantom democracies’

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:20:47 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-john-keane-on-demagogues-despots-and-the-rise-of-phantom-democracies-280137>

"Let’s begin with a troubling truth: in many countries, hundreds of millions of
people nowadays feel that when it comes to the biggest decisions affecting
their lives, despite all the talk of “democracy” and “the people”, they have no

Australians will pay more if Albanese prioritises fossil fuel projects, former oil and gas leaders warn

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:19:34 +1000

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/01/australians-will-pay-more-if-albanese-fast-tracks-fossil-fuel-projects-former-oil-and-gas-leaders-warn>

"Former oil and gas industry leaders, including senior executives from BP and
Shell, are warning the Albanese government that Australians risk ongoing price
shocks and higher costs if it prioritises fossil fuel development in response

Sramcbled wrods: the real reason you can still read jumbled text

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:18:20 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/sramcbled-wrods-the-real-reason-you-can-still-read-jumbled-text-280457>

"You’ve probably seen it on social media before: a paragraph of scrambled text
that looks like nonsense at first glance, yet somehow you can read it with
surprising ease.

Hormuz Crisis: France declares Energy Sovereignty

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:17:31 +1000

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

https://www.juancole.com/2026/05/hormuz-declares-sovereignty.html

"Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Israeli-US war on Iran launched on
February 28 has created the biggest energy crisis in modern history, causing
gasoline, diesel, fertilizer and fossil gas prices to spike worldwide. Because

The more young people use AI, the more they hate it

Mon, 4 May 2026 02:16:11 +1000

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

https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/920401/gen-z-ai

"It’s been almost three years since Silicon Valley started aggressively pushing
large language model-based chatbots like ChatGPT as the supposedly inevitable
future of everything, and there’s no group that has felt the pressure quite

The ramifications of record-shattering heat on the West’s ecosystems

Sun, 3 May 2026 19:28:44 +1000

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

<https://www.hcn.org/articles/the-ramifications-of-record-shattering-heat-on-the-wests-ecosystems/>

"In March, a month traditionally known for heavy mountain snows and dreary
lower-elevation weather, a heat wave settled across the West, shattering
temperature records from Tucson, Arizona, to Casper, Wyoming.

Worldwide Sidewalk Joy

Sun, 3 May 2026 19:27:27 +1000

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

https://worldwidesidewalkjoy.com/

"Sidewalk Joy spots are free, curated public galleries, exchanges and displays.
Installed in curb gardens, front yards or sides of buildings these projects
were created to bring a bit of whimsy and inspiration to the community.

‘Just looping you in’: why letting AI write our emails might actually create more work

Sun, 3 May 2026 19:25:39 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/just-looping-you-in-why-letting-ai-write-our-emails-might-actually-create-more-work-281225>

"I hope this article finds you well.

Did that make you cringe, ever so slightly? In the decades since the very first

Fix The News 336: Awe. Malaria vaccines 👍. Oxyrhynchus. Bandicoot.

Sun, 3 May 2026 19:23:15 +1000

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

https://fixthenews.com/p/336-awe-malaria-vaccines-oxyrhynchus

"This week’s top stories

* We have the first national-level evidence that the malaria vaccines are