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

US hearing exposes links between Russia’s energy sector and abduction of Ukrainian children

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:47:00 +1000

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

<https://kyivindependent.com/us-hearing-exposes-links-between-russias-energy-sector-and-abduction-of-ukrainian-children/>

“During a recent hearing before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, U.S.
lawmakers blasted the Trump administration's decision to lift sanctions on
Russian oil giants Gazprom and Rosneft — companies now accused of aiding the

The Social Media Addiction Verdicts Are Built On A Scientific Premise That Experts Keep Telling Us Is Wrong

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:45:36 +1000

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

<https://www.techdirt.com/2026/04/03/the-social-media-addiction-verdicts-are-built-on-a-scientific-premise-that-experts-keep-telling-us-is-wrong/>

"Last week, I wrote about why the social media addiction verdicts against Meta
and YouTube should worry anyone who cares about the open internet. The short
version: plaintiffs’ lawyers found a clever way to recharacterize editorial

Bigger storms, more often: new study projects likely future rainfall impacts on NZ

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:44:06 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/bigger-storms-more-often-new-study-projects-likely-future-rainfall-impacts-on-nz-279653>

"In the aftermath of the latest bout of extreme rainfall across New Zealand’s
upper North Island, there were some familar scenes.

Interview of Anarchist Front (Iran): Against all governments, against their war!

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:43:14 +1000

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

<https://anarchistnews.org/content/interview-anarchist-front-iran-against-all-governments-against-their-war>

"American and Israeli bombs have been falling on Iran for over a month.
Civilians are dying, hundreds of them children. More than a million people have
been displaced. The internet has been down since February 28, 2026. Now the war

There’s a Clear Pattern to Who Trump Throws Under the Bus

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:41:59 +1000

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

<https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/04/trump-pam-bondi-fired-kristi-noem-pete-hegseth.html>

"Pam Bondi is out as attorney general, the latest in a line of high-profile
Trump administration women to be sacked in recent weeks. Homeland Security
Secretary Kristi Noem was fired in early March. Centers for Disease Control

Misrule of law

Sun, 5 Apr 2026 10:40:03 +1000

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

https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/misrule-of-law

"Guardian correspondents look at the state of the rule of law in four major
European countries: what’s crumbling, and why it matters"

Do people still care about opera? An insider raises some doubts

Sat, 4 Apr 2026 23:34:32 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/do-people-still-care-about-opera-an-insider-raises-some-doubts-277234>

"Review: Opera Wars: Inside the World of Opera and the Battles for its
Future – Caitlin Vincent (Scribner)

How medieval chess created a space in which players – regardless of race – could engage as equals

Sat, 4 Apr 2026 23:33:12 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/how-medieval-chess-created-a-space-in-which-players-regardless-of-race-could-engage-as-equals-279132>

"In the medieval European imagination, racial difference was often highly
polarised. Black people were perceived either as exotic status symbols –
including saints and wealthy rulers such as the Queen of Sheba – or as

Letters from an American: April 3, 2026

Sat, 4 Apr 2026 23:31:37 +1100

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

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-3-2026

"On April 4, 1949, representatives from twelve countries in Europe and North
America—Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States—signed

In Batteries We Trust

Sat, 4 Apr 2026 23:29:21 +1100

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

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/in-batteries-we-trust

"The war goes on, and so does the global energy crisis. In fact, I believe that
prices of oil futures remain too low given how much spot prices will need to
rise to resolve the shortages that will hit once oil supplies that were shipped