Glass Wings Blog: April 2023

What happened to The Ocean Cleanup — the system that would rid the oceans of plastic?

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 11:09:10 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-03-17/ocean-cleanup-plastic-pollution-great-pacific-garbage-patch/102075810>

'Remember The Ocean Cleanup? It was the ambitious plan hatched by a young Dutch
entrepreneur to "rid the world's oceans of plastic".

(More...)

Australia the second thirstiest country for bottled water despite paying the highest prices, says UN report

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 11:11:01 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/17/australia-the-second-thirstiest-country-for-bottled-water-despite-paying-the-highest-prices>

"Australia has the most expensive bottled water on the planet but that hasn’t
curbed consumer thirst for something people can basically get for free.

(More...)

Dry Cleaning Chemical Could Be Major Cause of Parkinson's, Scientists Warn

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 11:12:07 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/dry-cleaning-chemical-could-be-major-cause-of-parkinsons-scientists-warn>

'The chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), once used widely in everything from
producing decaf coffee to typewriter correction fluids, has been highlighted in
a new study as potentially being a significant cause of many cases of

(More...)

What rewatching old shows teaches us about ourselves

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 11:13:12 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.vox.com/culture/23600020/why-rewatch-old-tv-shows-streaming-netflix>

"In the early 2000s, just a few years before Netflix began offering streaming
services and when time spent watching TV in America was at its peak, Cristel
Russell had an observation: Amid the boom of new television series, why did so

(More...)

Denver donates 35 bison to Native American tribes

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 11:14:35 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/2023/03/16/1164015750/native-american-bison-buffalo-denver-donate>

'The city of Denver has donated 35 bison to several Native American tribes and
one memorial council in Colorado, Oklahoma and Wyoming. The transfers marked
another example of Indigenous people reclaiming stewardship over land and

(More...)

Evolution not revolution: why GPT-4 is notable, but not groundbreaking

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:44:10 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/evolution-not-revolution-why-gpt-4-is-notable-but-not-groundbreaking-201858>

"OpenAI, the artificial intelligence (AI) research company behind ChatGPT and
the DALL-E 2 art generator, has unveiled the highly anticipated GPT-4 model.
Excitingly, the company also made it immediately available to the public

(More...)

AI can fool voice recognition used to verify identity by Centrelink and Australian tax office

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:45:06 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/16/voice-system-used-to-verify-identity-by-centrelink-can-be-fooled-by-ai>

"A voice identification system used by the Australian government for millions
of people has a serious security flaw, a Guardian Australia investigation has
found.

(More...)

I made a song entirely from artists singing "yeah"

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:46:07 +1100

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

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

"Yeah"

Via Muse, who wrote "Yeah...nah!"

(More...)

PFAS for dinner? Study of ‘forever chemicals’ build-up in cattle points to ways to reduce risks

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:46:52 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/pfas-for-dinner-study-of-forever-chemicals-build-up-in-cattle-points-to-ways-to-reduce-risks-201553>

"PFAS, known as “forever chemicals”, have been found just about everywhere on
Earth, including in toilet paper.

(More...)

We’re building harder, hotter cities: it’s vital we protect and grow urban green spaces – new report

Sat, 1 Apr 2023 19:49:01 +1100

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/were-building-harder-hotter-cities-its-vital-we-protect-and-grow-urban-green-spaces-new-report-201753>

"Recent extreme weather events have provided a foretaste of how supercharged
storms might threaten our future. So the release today of a new report from the
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) is very good timing.

(More...)

Welcome to the Big Blur

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 05:30:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/03/gpt4-arrival-human-artificial-intelligence-blur/673399/>

"The question will be simple but perpetual: Person or machine? Every encounter
with language, other than in the flesh, will now bring with it that small,
consuming test. For some—teachers, professors, journalists—the question of

(More...)

Sexual exhibitionism, Riot Grrrl and climate change activism: 30 years of raging by Peaches, Bikini Kill and Björk, still going strong

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 05:31:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/sexual-exhibitionism-riot-grrrl-and-climate-change-activism-30-years-of-raging-by-peaches-bikini-kill-and-bjork-still-going-strong-201388>

"Kathleen Hanna yells like she did in the 1990s, pushing the toxic male
patriarchy out of the moshpit at Melbourne’s The Forum on the eve of
International Women’s Day.

(More...)

Copyright Means You May Need Permission To Post Photos Of Your Own Home Online

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 05:32:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/15/copyright-means-you-may-need-permission-to-post-photos-of-your-own-home-online/>

"One of the life’s certainties is that copyright maximalism will continue to
encourage absurd rulings by complaisant courts. Here’s a rather spectacular
case from Germany. It involves a “photo wallpaper”. For those of you who – like

(More...)

Publisher Deletes Race From Rosa Parks Story for Florida

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 05:34:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/race-deleted-rosa-parks-history-florida-textbooks-1234698582/>

"Studies Weekly, whose curriculum reaches 45,000 schools across the country,
went to extreme lengths to cater to Ron DeSantis’ hellish vision of Florida. In
an effort to protect its sales, the publisher removed references to race,

(More...)

20 years after U.S. invasion, young Iraqis see signs of hope

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 05:36:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/iraq-war-invasion-anniversary-saddam-hussein-47b558083aad51d96106bc72342c49ea>

"BAGHDAD (AP) — On the banks of the Tigris River one recent evening, young
Iraqi men and women in jeans and sneakers danced with joyous abandon to a local
rap star as a vermillion sun set behind them. It’s a world away from the terror

(More...)

Board Games Aren’t Great For The Environment

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 13:40:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.kotaku.com.au/2023/03/board-games-arent-great-for-the-environment/>

"As the planet veers ever closer to climate catastrophe, more and more people —
and businesses — are working to lessen their impact on the planet. Cars are
going electric, straws have gotten organic and even video game cases have

(More...)

Mauritius ecosystem needs its original animals

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 13:42:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.futurity.org/animals-plants-mauritius-2891772-2/

"If the extinction of the many plants and animals on Mauritius continues, the
flourishing nature and diverse animals may dwindle to very few. They are part
of a particularly sensitive ecosystem where animals help plants spread their

(More...)

Go on a journey with these 7 intrepid women characters

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 13:43:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.humblegames.com/updates-article/go-on-a-journey-with-these-7-intrepid-women-characters/>

"They save cities. They save cats. They literally change the world.

In honor of International Women’s Day (March 8) and Women’s History Month,

(More...)

The Black Sea drone incident highlights the loose rules around avoiding ‘accidental’ war

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 13:43:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-black-sea-drone-incident-highlights-the-loose-rules-around-avoiding-accidental-war-202030>

"The extraordinary footage of a Russian jet intercepting a US drone over the
Black Sea earlier this week demonstrates just how potentially disastrous such
encounters outside actual war zones can be.

(More...)

Throwing Away My Harry Potter Books

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 13:44:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/bouncin-and-behavin-blogs/throwing-away-my-harry-potter-books-db904e3bd1ba>

"I think there are a lot more children out there than anyone realizes who were
bullied growing up. Not just bullied, but rejected by their own families and
abused.

(More...)

We Never Thought We'd Live To See Gavin Newsom Turning San Quentin Into Norwegian-Style Prison

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 21:56:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.wonkette.com/we-never-thought-we-d-live-to-see-gavin-newsom-turning-san-quentin-into-norwegian-style-prison>

'San Quentin is one of the most notorious prisons in the United States, once
home to Charles Manson and — due to the fact that California has not executed
anyone since 2006 — home to the largest death row in the nation.

(More...)

Big Business can’t stop its illegal, fantastically lucrative gossiping

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 21:58:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://doctorow.medium.com/big-business-cant-stop-its-illegal-fantastically-lucrative-gossiping-f3139d6a3803>

"Seven years ago, I called Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows “the perfect
anthem for our times.”

(More...)

Without Pushback, Biden Goes Full Trump on Immigration

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 21:59:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://medium.com/afrosapiophile/biden-goes-full-trump-a6b5c9b0e956

"The Biden administration is reportedly weighing the implementation of the
Obama- and Trump-era policy of detaining migrant families seeking asylum in the
US — an approach he denounced and ended after taking office. For grassroots

(More...)

Growing winter food – and community spirit – in a geothermal greenhouse

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 22:00:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2023/0223/Growing-winter-food-and-community-spirit-in-a-geothermal-greenhouse>

"Tucked near a highway underpass, a greenhouse glows faintly in the cold night.
Inside, volunteers stand in the warmth, crowded around two pizzas topped with
homegrown basil. Rows of potted greens, herbs, peppers, eggplants, and even

(More...)

In Bali, paradise is being upcycled

Sun, 2 Apr 2023 22:01:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.ft.com/content/be07595a-2fda-4a2b-9ef8-c320112b6d3c

"A rainbow of plastic bags tangled in the roots of a mangrove tree. Beaches
littered with a confetti of instant-coffee sachets and IndoMie noodle wrappers.
Everywhere, the crunch of discarded plastic cups half-embedded in the sand. For

(More...)

Help End the Long COVID Crisis (U.S. Letter)

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 07:16:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/help-end-the-long-covid-crisis

"In March 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that 23
million Americans had developed Long COVID. Nearly a year later, studies
suggest that number could be as high as 41 million. Yet there is no cure or

(More...)

In win for butterflies and loss for Texas Republicans, feds move to protect rare plant

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 07:17:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.courthousenews.com/in-win-for-butterflies-and-loss-for-texas-republicans-feds-move-to-protect-rare-plant/>

'(CN) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday declared the prostrate
milkweed an endangered species and mandated new habitat protections for the
plant, closing a chapter in a feud between environmentalists and those who

(More...)

Why I Decided to Update the Language in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Children’s Books

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 07:19:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://lithub.com/why-i-decided-to-update-the-language-in-ursula-k-le-guins-childrens-books/>

"In a 1973 letter to the editor of The Horn Book Magazine, my mother, Ursula
K. Le Guin, took Roald Dahl’s books to task. While acknowledging her own
“feelings of unease” about Dahl’s work, she remarked that “…kids are very

(More...)

Bounding Toward Recovery

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 07:20:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.biographic.com/bounding-toward-recovery/

"When Salão and Sidra step out of their carrying crates, the first ground the
two Iberian lynx feel beneath their paws is warm, tilled earth. It’s a bright
day in early May, and a crowd of about 75 people, including government

(More...)

"Keynote: Hugh Blemings" (Everything Open 2023)

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 07:22:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
Geek to Gus: Some Observations from 35 years in Tech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GPQ0kaRpTI

"Everything Open is a conference focused on open technologies, including Linux,
open source software, open hardware and open data, and the communities that

(More...)

UN Takes Step Toward New Way of Tracking Greenhouse Gases

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:02:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.voanews.com/a/un-takes-step-toward-new-way-of-tracking-greenhouse-gases/6991421.html>

'The United Nations announced Monday that it had taken a significant step
towards trying to fill a key gap in the fight against climate change:
standardized, real-time tracking of greenhouse gases.

(More...)

Long COVID: 3 years in

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:03:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00493-2/fulltext>

"March 11 marks 3 years since WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. While the
world is determined to move on from the acute phase, at least 65 million people
are estimated to struggle with long COVID, a debilitating post-infection

(More...)

Solar set to overtake other energy sources by 2027

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:04:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/IibT2

"A little more than a decade ago, solar power was an also-ran in the global
energy race. At less than 1 per cent, it had the smallest share of generation
capacity of any major power source.

(More...)

‘A wake-up call’: total weight of wild mammals less than 10% of humanity’s

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:05:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/18/a-wake-up-call-total-weight-of-wild-mammals-less-than-10-of-humanitys>

"The total weight of Earth’s wild land mammals – from elephants to bisons and
from deer to tigers – is now less than 10% of the combined tonnage of men,
women and children living on the planet.

(More...)

Long COVID has some weird symptoms. Face blindness may be one them.

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 15:06:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/03/13/long-covid-may-cause-prosopagnosia-face-blindness/11387483002/>

"Early in the pandemic, a 28-year-old customer service representative and
portrait painter caught COVID-19.

(More...)

What Lego can teach us about saving the planet

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 22:34:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://timharford.com/2023/02/what-lego-can-teach-us-about-saving-the-planet/>

"Can Lego save the world? That’s one idea that stuck with me reading How Big
Things Get Done
, a new book by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner. Flyvbjerg is
perhaps the world’s leading authority on the failure of megaprojects — or how

(More...)

Analysis: UK emissions fall 3.4% in 2022 as coal use drops to lowest level since 1757

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 22:35:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-emissions-fall-3-4-in-2022-as-coal-use-drops-to-lowest-level-since-1757/>

"The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.4% in 2022, according to new
Carbon Brief analysis, ending a post-Covid rebound.

(More...)

Clean Energy Is Suddenly Less Polarizing Than You Think

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 22:36:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/6vUF1

"My whole adult life, the work of fighting climate change was understood as the
job of the blue team in America. The red team, we knew, just wasn’t going to
play ball.

(More...)

Rooftop solar poised to become Australia's biggest power source amid coal's demise

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 22:37:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-01/rooftop-solar-to-overtake-coal-as-australias-main-power-source/102033740>

"Rooftop solar is poised to overtake coal as Australia's biggest source of
generation capacity, as the rapid pace of new installations accelerates the
decline of fossil fuel-fired power.

(More...)

Melbourne bookshops like Readings and Paperback Bookshop are part of the city’s culture

Mon, 3 Apr 2023 22:38:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-bookshops-like-readings-and-paperback-bookshop-are-part-of-the-city-s-culture-20230314-p5crzs.html>

"I am of a generation who can remember some of Melbourne’s lost bookshops:
Halls, The Bookshop of Margareta Webber, H.A. Evans and Son, McGill’s and more
recently – Alice’s Bookshop, Book Affair and Academic and General, among

(More...)

Battery Bonanza Is Being Sparked by Coal’s Exit in Australia

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 06:22:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/5kgWK

"Australia’s rapid shift from coal-fired power to cleaner alternatives is
underwriting a boom in battery projects able to store solar and wind energy.

(More...)

Eighty-two Australian children have been abducted in Japan – and it’s legal

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 06:24:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/eighty-two-australian-children-have-been-abducted-in-japan-and-it-s-legal-20230313-p5crou.html>

"Tokyo: Three busloads of children. Some laugh; others cry. One likes blowing
bubbles in the garden in summer; others prefer making castles in the sand. All
of them have disappeared from their Australian parents’ lives.

(More...)

The venture capitalist's dilemma

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 06:25:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://newsletter.mollywhite.net/p/the-venture-capitalists-dilemma

"A little less than a year ago I made some venture capitalists very angry when
I made an offhand remark in an episode of Crypto Critics’ Corner: “I mean, I
would probably argue that venture capitalists are not good for society

(More...)

‘We did it so badly … it’s now backfired’: women and minority US forces reflect on the invasion of Iraq – now 20 years ago

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 06:26:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-did-it-so-badly-its-now-backfired-women-and-minority-us-forces-reflect-on-the-invasion-of-iraq-now-20-years-ago-199415>

"Twenty years ago, the United States led the “coalition of the willing” in an
invasion of Iraq, in the shadow of the September 11 2001 attacks on the US by
militant Islamic network al-Qaeda.

(More...)

Alby Mangels — Inside the legendary adventure travel filmmaker's secret new life

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 06:28:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-20/alby-mangels-travel-documentary-makers-secret-new-life/102115716>

'Alby Mangels is in a reflective mood as he muses over the absurd ragbag of
ingredients that somehow became his recipe for success.

(More...)

Are Russian transfers of Ukrainian children to re-education and adoption facilities a form of genocide?

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 13:15:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/are-russian-transfers-of-ukrainian-children-to-re-education-and-adoption-facilities-a-form-of-genocide-200995>

"Throughout Russia’s war against Ukraine, there have been countless reports of
alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Now, there are also allegations
of genocide involving the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.

(More...)

What can we expect from the final UN climate report? And what is the IPCC anyway?

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 13:16:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-can-we-expect-from-the-final-un-climate-report-and-what-is-the-ipcc-anyway-201762>

"After all the talk on the need for climate action, it’s time for a reality
check. On Monday the world will receive the latest United Nations climate
report. And it’s a big one.

(More...)

The Brilliant Inventor Who Made Two of History’s Biggest Mistakes

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 13:17:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/15/magazine/cfcs-inventor.html

"It was said that Thomas Midgley Jr. had the finest lawn in America. Golf-club
chairmen from across the Midwest would visit his estate on the outskirts of
Columbus, Ohio, purely to admire the grounds; the Scott Seed Company eventually

(More...)

The ‘great resignation’ didn’t happen in Australia, but the ‘great burnout’ did

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 13:18:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-great-resignation-didnt-happen-in-australia-but-the-great-burnout-did-201173>

"You’ve probably heard about the “great resignation” which saw large numbers of
people resigning from their jobs in the US in 2021 and 2022.

(More...)

Samoa PM urges world to save Pacific people from climate crisis obliteration

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 13:19:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/19/samoa-pm-fiame-naomi-mataafa-urges-world-to-save-pacific-people-from-climate-crisis-obliteration>

"The world must step back from the brink of climate disaster to save the people
of the Pacific from obliteration, the prime minister of Samoa has urged.

(More...)

Extinct but not gone – the thylacine continues to fascinate us

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 21:25:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/extinct-but-not-gone-the-thylacine-continues-to-fascinate-us-201865>

"Human life on Earth is utterly dependent on biodiversity but our activities
are driving an increase in extinctions. Yet some extinct species continue to
hold our fascination. New methods in genetics and reproductive biology hold the

(More...)

‘We had to hide them’: how Ukraine’s ‘kidnapped’ children led to Vladimir Putin’s arrest warrant

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 21:26:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/18/how-ukraine-kidnapped-children-led-to-vladimir-putins-arrest-warrant-russia>

"Sipping his tea at one of the few cafes still open in the battered Ukrainian
frontline city of Kherson, Volodymyr Sagaydak shows a video of the day four
thugs from the Russian FSB security services arrived at the city’s main

(More...)

Cyclone Freddy was the most energetic storm on record. Is it a harbinger of things to come?

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 21:27:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/cyclone-freddy-was-the-most-energetic-storm-on-record-is-it-a-harbinger-of-things-to-come-201771>

"On February 4, a storm off the north-west coast of Australia was named Cyclone
Freddy. It rapidly strengthened and headed west across the Indian Ocean,
eventually causing devastation in eastern Africa. Hundreds of people died, tens

(More...)

Feckless Axios Fired A Reporter For Correctly Identifying DeSantis Propaganda

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 21:28:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/17/feckless-axios-fired-a-reporter-for-correctly-identifying-desantis-propaganda/>

"Mainstream political news outlets like Axios have long been accused of “both
sides” or “view from nowhere” journalism where they bend over backward to frame
everything through a lens of illusory objectivity as to not offend. This

(More...)

20 years on, George W. Bush’s promise of democracy in Iraq and Middle East falls short

Tue, 4 Apr 2023 21:28:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/20-years-on-george-w-bushs-promise-of-democracy-in-iraq-and-middle-east-falls-short-201998>

"President George W. Bush and his administration put forward a variety of
reasons to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

(More...)

Italy Decides That Leonardo da Vinci’s 500 Year Old Works Are Not In The Public Domain

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 04:43:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/17/italy-decides-that-leonardo-da-vincis-500-year-old-works-are-not-in-the-public-domain/>

"Walled Culture is a big fan of the public domain. The amazing artistic uses
that people are able to make of material only once it enters the public domain
are an indication that copyright can act as an obstacle to wider creativity,

(More...)

The Iraq war’s damage to public trust in experts has consequences right up to today

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 04:44:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-iraq-wars-damage-to-public-trust-in-experts-has-consequences-right-up-to-today-201656>

"Twenty years after the invasion of Iraq, politicians continue to repeat the
errors of the past by taking information from security briefings that they want
to hear.

(More...)

Game Jam Winner Spotlight: To And Again

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 04:46:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/18/game-jam-winner-spotlight-to-and-again/>

"So far in our series of posts on showcasing the winners in all six categories
of the fifth annual public domain game jam, Gaming Like It’s 1927, we’ve
featured Best Remix winner Lucia and Best Visuals winner Urbanity. Today,

(More...)

How images of the 2011 tsunami in Japan led me to examine connections with water in photography, sound and sculpture

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 04:47:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-images-of-the-2011-tsunami-in-japan-led-me-to-examine-connections-with-water-in-photography-sound-and-sculpture-200723>

"In everyday language when we describe something as “salient” we mean what’s
most central.

(More...)

‘All this here will kill this river’: traditional owners grieve for the Darling-Baaka after mass fish death

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 04:48:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/21/all-this-here-will-kill-this-river-traditional-owners-grieve-for-the-darling-baaka-after-mass-fish-death>

"Traditional owners in Menindee are grieving for a river that smells like
death.

(More...)

The Rideau Canal Skateway: How can we promote resilience in the face of a changing climate?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 12:29:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-rideau-canal-skateway-how-can-we-promote-resilience-in-the-face-of-a-changing-climate-200622>

"Rideau Canal Skateway, the 7.8 kilometre ice path winding through the Canadian
capital city of Ottawa, is a National Historic Site of Canada and a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.

(More...)

What is the IPCC AR6 synthesis report and why does it matter?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 12:30:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/19/what-is-the-ipcc-ar6-synthesis-report-and-why-does-it-matter>

"The fourth and final instalment of the sixth assessment report (AR6) by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the body of the world’s leading
climate scientists, is the synthesis report, so called because it draws

(More...)

Winnipeg proposes new Indigenous street names, but what’s behind claims they’re too hard to pronounce?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 12:31:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/winnipeg-proposes-new-indigenous-street-names-but-whats-behind-claims-theyre-too-hard-to-pronounce-201523>

"The City of Winnipeg’s Indigenous Relations Division recently submitted
suggestions for new names to replace a street and trail currently named after
Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin.

(More...)

Humanity at the climate crossroads: highway to hell or a livable future?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 12:32:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/20/humanity-at-climate-crossroads-highway-to-hell-or-a-livable-future>

"After a 10,000-year journey, human civilisation has reached a climate
crossroads: what we do in the next few years will determine our fate for
millennia.

(More...)

‘It can be done. It must be done’: IPCC delivers definitive report on climate change, and where to now

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 12:33:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/it-can-be-done-it-must-be-done-ipcc-delivers-definitive-report-on-climate-change-and-where-to-now-201763>

"The world is in deep trouble on climate change, but if we really put our
shoulder to the wheel we can turn things around. Loosely, that’s the essence of
today’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

(More...)

How bad is vaping and should it be banned?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 20:03:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-bad-is-vaping-and-should-it-be-banned-197913>

"Vaping regularly makes headlines, with some campaigning to make e-cigarettes
more available to help smokers quit, while others are keen to see vaping
products banned, citing dangers, especially for teens.

(More...)

Scientists deliver ‘final warning’ on climate crisis: act now or it’s too late

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 20:04:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/20/ipcc-climate-crisis-report-delivers-final-warning-on-15c>

"Scientists have delivered a “final warning” on the climate crisis, as rising
greenhouse gas emissions push the world to the brink of irrevocable damage that
only swift and drastic action can avert.

(More...)

Scammers can slip fake texts into legitimate SMS threads. Will a government crackdown stop them?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 20:04:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/scammers-can-slip-fake-texts-into-legitimate-sms-threads-will-a-government-crackdown-stop-them-200644>

"Are you tired of receiving SMS scams pretending to be from Australia Post, the
tax office, MyGov and banks? You’re not alone. Each year, thousands of
Australians fall victim to SMS scams. And losses have surged in recent years.

(More...)

Portugal's EDP to invest $27 billion to nearly double renewable capacity

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 20:05:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/portugals-edpr-invest-2234-billion-until-2026-push-green-growth-2023-03-02/>

"LISBON/LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Portugal's largest utility, EDP (EDP.LS)
said it will step up investment and spend 25 billion euros ($27 billion) over
four years to nearly double its renewable energy capacity to 33 gigawatts (GW)

(More...)

What is myrtle rust and why has this disease closed Lord Howe Island to visitors?

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 20:06:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-is-myrtle-rust-and-why-has-this-disease-closed-lord-howe-island-to-visitors-202045>

"Some 70% of the World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island has been closed to
non-essential visitors in response to a recurrence of the plant disease myrtle
rust.

(More...)

Deutsche Bank tightens finance policy on coal, but not on oil and gas

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:13:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/deutsche-bank-tightens-coal-finance-policy-not-oil-gas-2023-03-02/>

'FRANKFURT, March 2 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) on Thursday tightened
its coal financing policies but has yet to change its criteria for the oil and
gas industries, drawing criticism from climate activists.

(More...)

How did millions of fish die gasping in the Darling – after three years of rain?

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:14:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-did-millions-of-fish-die-gasping-in-the-darling-after-three-years-of-rain-202125>

"Millions of dead fish float on the surface of the river. Native bony herring
and introduced young carp, as well as a few mature Murray cod and golden perch.
History is repeating on the Darling River at Menindee. This new fish kill is

(More...)

Floating solar farms: what are they and can they help us reach net zero?

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:16:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/floating-solar-farms-net-zero/

"Floating solar farms are being built in growing numbers around the world.

They’re particularly popular in Asia, according to US space agency NASA, which

(More...)

[London] Met police found to be institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:18:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/21/metropolitan-police-institutionally-racist-misogynistic-homophobic-louise-casey-report>

"The Metropolitan police is broken and rotten, suffering collapsing public
trust and is guilty of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia, an
official report has said.

(More...)

The Nuclear Fallacy: Why Small Modular Reactors Can’t Compete With Renewable Energy

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 04:19:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/01/18/the-nuclear-fallacy-why-small-modular-reactors-cant-compete-with-renewable-energy/>

"Will the small modular nuclear reactor community be able to find an optimized
point on the physics vs modularity curve? I don’t think so, and discussed it
with Bent Flyvbjerg, global megaproject expert."

(More...)

Interview: Kevin Kelly, editor, author, and futurist

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 12:49:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/interview-kevin-kelly-editor-author

"Kevin Kelly is one of the thinkers who helped define the ethos of the tech
industry from its early days. As an editor of the Whole Earth Catalog in the
1980s and the founding editor of Wired magazine, he helped to integrate

(More...)

Biden designates area sacred to tribes as largest national monument of his presidency

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 12:50:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/21/politics/biden-national-monument-spirit-mountain-nevada-climate/>

"President Joe Biden on Tuesday officially designated a new national monument
in Southern Nevada while speaking at a conservation event at the Interior
Department.

(More...)

New research reveals how forests reduce their own bushfire risk, if they’re left alone

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 12:51:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/new-research-reveals-how-forests-reduce-their-own-bushfire-risk-if-theyre-left-alone-201868>

"Fire management in Australia is approaching crisis point. Seasons such as the
Black Summer three years ago showed how our best efforts in fire-fighting and
prescribed burning are insignificant in the face of a changing climate.

(More...)

Decision time: did habitual liar Boris Johnson tell some lies? It’s going to be tense

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 12:51:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/21/boris-johnson-lies-standards-committee-partygate>

"One last heave – in all senses of the word – for Boris Johnson, Britain’s
worst ex, who tomorrow flops himself out in front of the privileges committee
and asks it to consider an auto-satirical question: did the foremost British

(More...)

Amélie Was Really a KGB Spy: Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet Re-Edits His Beloved Film, Amélie, into a New Comedic Short

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 12:53:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.openculture.com/2023/03/amelie-was-really-a-kgb-spy-jean-pierre-jeunet-re-edits-his-beloved-film.html>

"No French film of this century is more beloved than Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s
Amélie. Or rather, no protagonist of a French film in this century is more
beloved than Audrey Tautou’s eponymous Amélie. Hence, no doubt, why the movie

(More...)

Private opulence, public squalor: How the U.S. helps the rich and hurts the poor

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 22:37:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/03/21/1164275807/poverty-by-america-matthew-desmond-inequality>

"Over 11% of the U.S. population — about one in nine people — lived below the
federal poverty line in 2021. But Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond says
neither that statistic, nor the federal poverty line itself, encapsulate the

(More...)

How can Australia pay $368 billion for new submarines? Some of the money will be created from thin air

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 22:37:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-can-australia-pay-368-billion-for-new-submarines-some-of-the-money-will-be-created-from-thin-air-202150>

"Australia’s decision to buy three nuclear-powered submarines and build another
eight is so expensive that, for the A$268 billion to $368 billion price tag, we
could give a million dollars to every resident of Geelong, or Hobart, or

(More...)

‘It’s very big’: new species of giant trapdoor spider discovered in Queensland

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 22:39:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/21/new-species-giant-trapdoor-spider-discovered-queensland>

"A new and rare giant spider has been found hiding beneath a trapdoor made of
silk and soil west of Brisbane.

(More...)

Chat with any PDF

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 22:40:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.chatpdf.com/

"Unlock a wealth of knowledge with ChatPDF. Discover new insights and answers
from historical documents, poetry, and literature, effortlessly.
ChatPDF can understand any language and reply in your preferred one. Satisfy

(More...)

Antisemitism on Twitter has more than doubled since Elon Musk took over the platform – new research

Thu, 6 Apr 2023 22:41:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/antisemitism-on-twitter-has-more-than-doubled-since-elon-musk-took-over-the-platform-new-research-201830>

"In the days after Elon Musk took over Twitter in October 2022, the social
media platform saw a “surge in hateful conduct,” which its then safety chief
put down to a “focused, short-term trolling campaign.” New research suggests

(More...)

From floppy disks to the crowdfunding revolution, adventure RPG pioneers Lori and Corey Cole have seen it all

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 04:53:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.pcgamer.com/from-floppy-disks-to-the-crowdfunding-revolution-adventure-rpg-pioneers-lori-and-corey-cole-have-seen-it-all/>

"The first two Quest for Glory games enjoyed the doubled-up input options of
a text parser as well as a rudimentary point-and-click interface. You could
right-click on a tree or a moose head to examine it, and sometimes be rewarded

(More...)

Something for Nothing? How Growing Rent-seeking is at the Heart of America’s Economic Troubles

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 04:55:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://jpia.princeton.edu/news/something-nothing-how-growing-rent-seeking-heart-americas-economic-troubles>

"The following paper studies three main questions:

First, What is the association between increasing concentration and labor and

(More...)

New asteroid sample study offers further hints of space origin for the building blocks of life on Earth

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 04:56:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/new-asteroid-sample-study-offers-further-hints-of-space-origin-for-the-building-blocks-of-life-on-earth-201960>

"How did life come about? The answer to this question goes to the very heart of
our existence on planet Earth.

(More...)

Trans people aren’t new, and neither is their oppression: a history of gender crossing in 19th-century Australia

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 04:57:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/trans-people-arent-new-and-neither-is-their-oppression-a-history-of-gender-crossing-in-19th-century-australia-201663>

"Anti-transgender hatred is on the rise. Driven by pseudoscience and backed by
well-funded far-right pressure groups, part of the premise of the anti-trans
“gender critical” movement is that trans people are new and unnatural. History

(More...)

Majority of Australians on jobseeker and parenting payments live in poverty, study finds

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 04:58:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/22/majority-of-australians-on-jobseeker-and-parenting-payments-live-in-poverty-in-study-finds>

"The majority of people on the jobseeker and parenting payments are living in
poverty while about a third of single parents are also below the breadline,
according to a new study.

(More...)

Chernobyl was history’s worst nuclear disaster. Now it’s teaching geologists about the history of our planet

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:51:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/chernobyl-was-historys-worst-nuclear-disaster-now-its-teaching-geologists-about-the-history-of-our-planet-201227>

"Thirty-seven years ago, on April 26 1986, the reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear
power plant suffered a catastrophic meltdown. In the weeks that followed, the
deadly event drove hundreds of thousands of people to relocate from the

(More...)

Why Link Taxes Like Canada’s C-18 Represent An End To An Open Web

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:52:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/21/why-link-taxes-like-canadas-c-18-represent-an-end-to-an-open-web/>

"Well, here we go again. For years now, the legacy news industry, often led by
lobbyists for Rupert Murdoch, have been pushing a bizarre plan to tax links
on the internet. The entire rationale for this plan seems to be “news

(More...)

Species don’t live in isolation: what changing threats to 4 marsupials tell us about the future

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:53:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/species-dont-live-in-isolation-what-changing-threats-to-4-marsupials-tell-us-about-the-future-200990>

"Conserving native wildlife is a challenging task and Australia’s unenviable
extinction record shows us we urgently need more sophisticated and effective
approaches.

(More...)

3DS, Wii U eShop Shutdown Leaves Archivists In The Wind, Hobbyists Pick Up The Pieces

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:54:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/21/3ds-wii-u-eshop-shutdown-leaves-archivists-in-the-wind-hobbyists-pick-up-the-pieces/>

"A little over a year ago, we discussed Nintendo’s shutdown of the eShop for
its 3DS and Wii U consoles. That shutdown ended up being delayed due to a
metric ton of outcry from the gaming public, but that was only a stay of

(More...)

IPCC report: the world must cut emissions and urgently adapt to the new climate realities

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 12:54:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ipcc-report-the-world-must-cut-emissions-and-urgently-adapt-to-the-new-climate-realities-202129>

"This decade is the critical moment for making deep, rapid cuts to emissions,
and acting to protect people from dangerous climate impacts we can no longer
avoid, according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

(More...)

Neither Money Nor Manpower: The story of the de Havilland Comet and the crash of BOAC flight 781

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 20:08:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://admiralcloudberg.medium.com/neither-money-nor-manpower-the-story-of-the-de-havilland-comet-and-the-crash-of-boac-flight-781-36db2a3435ce>

"In the spring of 1952, British aviation took a great leap forward when the de
Havilland Comet I became the first jet airliner to carry paying passengers,
soaring away from London Heathrow Airport at twice the speed and to twice the

(More...)

Australia’s 116 new coal, oil and gas projects equate to 215 new coal power stations

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 20:09:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/australias-116-new-coal-oil-and-gas-projects-equate-to-215-new-coal-power-stations-202135>

"Australia has 116 new coal, oil and gas projects in the pipeline. If they all
proceed as planned, an extra 1.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases would be
released into the atmosphere annually by 2030.

(More...)

Capitalism vs. Communalism: I Just Spent 24 Hours in a Town That Pools All Their Possessions

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 20:10:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://survivingtomorrow.org/capitalism-vs-communalism-i-just-spent-24-hours-in-a-town-that-pools-all-their-possessions-ab8edfcafaf>

"Baby Concord and I drove nearly 1,000 miles before we entered the gates of the
Bruderhof community in the village of Darvell, located on the outskirts of the
pretty medieval town of Robertsbridge, England.

(More...)

Ryuichi Sakamoto, a godfather of electronic pop, has died

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 20:11:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/2023/04/02/959184720/ryuichi-sakamoto-a-godfather-of-electronic-pop-has-died>

'Ryuichi Sakamoto, a trailblazing composer and producer who was one of the
first musicians to incorporate electronic production into popular songcraft,
has died at the age of 71.

(More...)

Ryuichi Sakamoto: the avant gardist who became a groundbreaking pop star

Fri, 7 Apr 2023 20:13:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/02/ryuichi-sakamoto-the-avant-gardist-who-became-a-groundbreaking-pop-star>

"Ryuichi Sakamoto was not a man cut out to be a pop star. As a teenager, he
liked the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but his abiding passion was New
York’s underground avant garde art scene – Joseph Beuys, Fluxus, Andy Warhol –

(More...)

Thomas Dolby: a tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 04:49:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUw6nUkjFcM

"Some personal reminiscences following the March 2023 passing of the brilliant
composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Follow the link to see the music video from the song
we recorded together, 'Field Work'; also a live version shot in Tokyo,

(More...)

Our mysterious night parrot has terrible vision – but we discovered it might be able to hear like an owl

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 04:50:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/our-mysterious-night-parrot-has-terrible-vision-but-we-discovered-it-might-be-able-to-hear-like-an-owl-200058>

"One bird bucks the stereotype of Australia’s raucous parrots – the mysterious
and critically endangered night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). Rather than
flying around in noisy flocks or eating fruit in trees, the night parrot roosts

(More...)

A letter to my loved ones about COVID-19: You've moved on, but I'm still here

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 04:51:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2023/03/19/covid-pandemic-not-over-high-risk/11472097002/>

"Dear loved one,

I’m writing this letter because of how much I care about you. You are my

(More...)

The Great Southern Reef is in more trouble than the Great Barrier Reef

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 04:52:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-great-southern-reef-is-in-more-trouble-than-the-great-barrier-reef-201235>

"Marine heatwaves are damaging reef ecosystems around Australia, but while the
tropical north has received the lion’s share of the attention to date, we
equally need to worry about the temperate south.

(More...)

Book Publishers Won’t Stop Until Libraries Are Dead

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 04:53:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/22/book-publishers-wont-stop-until-libraries-are-dead/>

"Earlier this week there was finally a hearing in the case brought by the big
book publishers to kill off libraries. That, of course, is not how the
publishers describe the lawsuit, but it’s absolutely what the lawsuit is about.

(More...)

ACT government tables Australia's first laws to stop irreversible intersex surgery on children

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:00:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-22/first-legislation-to-stop-intersex-surgery-on-children/102131060>

'The ACT government has introduced Australia's first legislation that would ban
unnecessary and irreversible medical procedures for people who are born
intersex.

(More...)

‘Some of them do treat you like an idiot’: what it’s like to be a casual academic

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:00:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/some-of-them-do-treat-you-like-an-idiot-what-its-like-to-be-a-casual-academic-201470>

"One of the priorities of the federal government’s sweeping Universities Accord
is to improve employment conditions in higher education. This is long overdue.

(More...)

5 Indigenous engineering feats you should know about

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:01:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/5-indigenous-engineering-feats-you-should-know-about-198987>

"For many millennia, Indigenous Australians have engineered the landscape using
sophisticated technological and philosophical knowledge systems in a deliberate
response to changing social and environmental circumstances.

(More...)

Etihad accused of misleading customers with greenwashing in ‘net zero’ ads

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:02:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/23/etihad-accused-of-misleading-customers-with-greenwashing-in-net-zero-ads>

"Etihad has been accused of misleading customers through advertising that
spruiked its emissions reductions plans, with Australia’s consumer watchdog now
considering action against the airline amid its crackdown on greenwashing.

(More...)

Throwing voting-age legislation onto the ‘policy bonfire’ only delays a debate that has to happen

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:04:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/throwing-voting-age-legislation-onto-the-policy-bonfire-only-delays-a-debate-that-has-to-happen-201754>

"There might have been pragmatic political reasons behind the government
throwing voting-age legislation onto its recent policy bonfire, but it remains
a sadly wasted opportunity.

(More...)

Almost 90% of children brought from Nauru suffered physical health problems

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 22:51:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/22/almost-90-of-children-brought-from-nauru-suffered-physical-health-problem-study>

"Nearly nine in 10 children brought from offshore processing on Nauru to
Australia were suffering physical health conditions, including malnutrition and
dental disease, while almost 80% reported one or more mental health symptoms,

(More...)

Does public safety trump free speech? History suggests there is a case for banning anti-trans activist Posie Parker from NZ

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 22:51:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/does-public-safety-trump-free-speech-history-suggests-there-is-a-case-for-banning-anti-trans-activist-posie-parker-from-nz-202118>

"The impending arrival of Kelly-Jean Keen-Minshull – aka Posie Parker – has put
the spotlight on the tension between free speech and protecting vulnerable
communities. In particular, it raises questions about Immigration New Zealand’s

(More...)

Decline of more than 500 species of marine life on Australian reefs ‘the tip of the iceberg’, study finds

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 22:57:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/22/decline-of-more-than-500-species-of-marine-life-in-australian-reefs-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-study-finds>

"More than 500 common species of fish, seaweed, coral and invertebrates that
live on reefs around Australia have declined in the past decade, a study has
found, as experts warn “not all is well in the ocean”.

(More...)

Antarctic ice age survival story: life seeking ice-free refuges imitates art in Ice Age, the movie

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 22:58:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/antarctic-ice-age-survival-story-life-seeking-ice-free-refuges-imitates-art-in-ice-age-the-movie-201231>

"Antarctica is an icy place today, but the ice extended even further during
past ice ages. The question of how and where life survived on land in the icy
continent, through the ages, has long puzzled biologists.

(More...)

Power Laws in Culture

Sat, 8 Apr 2023 22:58:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://dougshapiro.medium.com/power-laws-in-culture-27ab6461c693

"This essay may be a little wonky, but the topic is something I’ve been
thinking about for more than a decade. (Off and on, not continuously.)

(More...)

Calls for a ‘green’ Ramadan revive Islam’s long tradition of sustainability and care for the planet

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 06:39:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/calls-for-a-green-ramadan-revive-islams-long-tradition-of-sustainability-and-care-for-the-planet-197867>

"For many Muslims breaking fast in mosques around the world this Ramadan,
something will be missing: plastics.

(More...)

The Slum-Inspired Apartment Complex Designed by Its Own Residents

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 06:40:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/jakarta-slum-apartment-building-kampung-akwarium/>

"Kampung Akuarium, a set of white apartment blocks on the waterfront of
Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, looks much like you’d expect accommodation in a
modern city to be: in its five-story towers, staircases connect corridors lined

(More...)

A Different Aftermath

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 06:42:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://taur10.tumblr.com/post/712502853187584000

By "T Kingfisher" (Ursula Vernon)

Via Seph Harrison.

(More...)

Seabirds that swallow ocean plastic waste have scarring in their stomachs – scientists have named this disease ‘plasticosis’

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 06:43:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/seabirds-that-swallow-ocean-plastic-waste-have-scarring-in-their-stomachs-scientists-have-named-this-disease-plasticosis-201506>

"As a conservation biologist who studies plastic ingestion by marine wildlife,
I can count on the same question whenever I present research: “How does plastic
affect the animals that eat it?”

(More...)

Hands off My TikTok. Banning It Would Hurt the Most Marginalized

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 06:45:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.newsweek.com/hands-off-my-tiktok-banning-it-would-hurt-most-marginalized-opinion-1789597>

"Calls for a nation-wide ban on the social media platform TikTok are
increasing—across both political parties in the U.S. I built my career
criticizing TikTok, but Washington has this wrong. I produced some of the

(More...)

State aims to revoke license of teacher over books

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 14:51:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/state-aims-to-revoke-license-of-teacher-over-books/article_4631e58b-8e4e-5677-b5aa-74df4c17641d.html>

'OKLAHOMA CITY — A former Norman Public Schools teacher may have her teaching
license stripped for encouraging her students to visit a link that offers
students free access to a Brooklyn Public Library card.

(More...)

Why the ethics of octopus farming are so troubling

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 14:52:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-the-ethics-of-octopus-farming-are-so-troubling-202012>

"Octopus is a popular ingredient in many cuisines, with some 420,000 metric
tonnes of this mollusc being caught worldwide each year. The rising global
popularity of octopus has been attributed to the increasingly adventurous

(More...)

Ventilation matters - why clean air is vital to health

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 14:53:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://explainers.raeng.org.uk/ventilation-matters

"The buildings and indoor environments we use every day can have an impact on
our health. Building design, layout, and the facilities available can all
affect the freshness of the air, as well as factors including:

(More...)

Framework Previews 16-inch Laptop With Upgradeable Graphics, Adds Ryzen Mainboards

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 14:55:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/framework-laptop-13-16-amd-ryzen

'The Framework Laptop 16 only got a preview at the event, but it made the
biggest splash, with far more customization options and repairable features
than the existing 13-inch laptop. Beyond the existing expansion cards, there

(More...)

Want an easy $400 a year? Ditch the gas heater in your home for an electric split system

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 14:56:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/want-an-easy-400-a-year-ditch-the-gas-heater-in-your-home-for-an-electric-split-system-201941>

"Earlier this month, regulators flagged power price rises in Queensland, New
South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Like many people, you’re probably
wondering how you can minimise the financial pain.

(More...)

Here’s why having chocolate can make you feel great or a bit sick – plus 4 tips for better eating

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 22:25:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/heres-why-having-chocolate-can-make-you-feel-great-or-a-bit-sick-plus-4-tips-for-better-eating-202848>

"Australians are predicted to spend around A$1.7 billion on chocolates, hot
cross buns and other special foods this Easter season.

(More...)

‘Overwhelming’ support for regulation of vape imports amid ‘health emergency’, TGA reports

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 22:26:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/24/overwhelming-support-for-regulation-of-vape-imports-amid-health-emergency-tga-reports>

"An “overwhelming” number of health experts and authorities support tightening
border controls around nicotine vaping products, with many wanting an import
ban on non-nicotine vaping products as well, Australia’s drugs regulator has

(More...)

4-day work week trials have been labelled a ‘resounding success’. But 4 big questions need answers

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 22:27:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/4-day-work-week-trials-have-been-labelled-a-resounding-success-but-4-big-questions-need-answers-201476>

"A little more than a century ago, most people in industrialised countries
worked 60 hours a week – six ten-hour days. A 40-hour work week of five
eight-hour days became the norm, along with increased paid holidays, in the

(More...)

German government in crisis over EU ban on car combustion engines

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 22:28:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/23/german-government-in-crisis-over-eu-ban-on-car-combustion-engines>

"A clash over climate protection measures is threatening to unravel Germany’s
three-party governing alliance, after the Green party accused its liberal
coalition partners of gambling away the country’s reputation by blocking a

(More...)

Gunned down and burned by the Nazis: the shocking true story of Bambi

Sun, 9 Apr 2023 22:30:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/21/gunned-down-burned-nazis-bambi-walt-disney-holocaust-allegory>

"When Love Island stars Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury announced that they
had named their daughter Bambi earlier this year, it caused a bit of a storm.
Some approving fans claimed to be “obsessed” with the name, but Atomic Kitten

(More...)

A new study on Australian volcanoes has changed what we know about explosive ‘hotspot’ volcanism

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:38:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/a-new-study-on-australian-volcanoes-has-changed-what-we-know-about-explosive-hotspot-volcanism-202334>

"Our new study published in Nature Geoscience on an ancient chain of
Australian volcanoes is helping to change our understanding of “hotspot”
volcanism.

(More...)

There’s microplastic in my beer?!

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:39:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/the-new-climate/theres-plastic-in-my-beer-a2d2da5df7f3>

"I am a beer-drinker. Not much, perhaps one or two a week, but I enjoy them.
However, after reading a paper from 2022 that reported there are up to 50,000
microplastic particles in a pint of beer, it started to put me off. The study

(More...)

One In a Billion Moments In Nature

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:40:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X73Eiad0JmM

"In this compilation video, we take a look at some of the most unusual moments
in nature from all around the world.

(More...)

We used DNA from Beethoven’s hair to shed light on his poor health – and stumbled upon a family secret

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:41:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-used-dna-from-beethovens-hair-to-shed-light-on-his-poor-health-and-stumbled-upon-a-family-secret-202440>

"Many astonishingly creative people have lived lives cut tragically short by
illness. Johannes Vermeer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jane Austen, Franz Schubert
and Emily Brontë are some famous examples.

(More...)

Oklahoma Wants Teachers to beat disabled kids into submission

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:43:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/science-and-critical-thinking/oklahoma-wants-teachers-to-beat-disabled-kids-into-submission-fb7551a81869>

"Currently it is legal for teachers in Oklahoma to punish students by
physically beating them into submission. There is however a legal exception.
Students who are defied as having “the most significant cognitive disabilities“

(More...)

Our child protection system is clearly broken. Is it time to abolish it for a better model?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:44:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/our-child-protection-system-is-clearly-broken-is-it-time-to-abolish-it-for-a-better-model-200716>

"The tragic deaths of two small children in an overheated car in Queensland in
2019 highlight just how flawed our child protection system has become.

(More...)

Fiery Death, A Trillion Dollars and 30 years of payback

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:29:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://barry-gander.medium.com/fiery-death-adds-to-the-trillion-dollars-that-russia-owes-ukraine-30-years-of-payback-needed-bfaf3422ad42>

"The thermite or white phosphorus munitions that Russia is now using can burn
people to the bone, smolder inside the body, and reignite when bandages are
removed.

(More...)

AI tools are generating convincing misinformation. Engaging with them means being on high alert

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:30:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ai-tools-are-generating-convincing-misinformation-engaging-with-them-means-being-on-high-alert-202062>

"AI tools can help us create content, learn about the world and (perhaps)
eliminate the more mundane tasks in life – but they aren’t perfect. They’ve
been shown to hallucinate information, use other people’s work without consent,

(More...)

4 Pandemic Responses That Changed Life for the Better

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:31:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/covid-changes-cities-work-renewable-energy/>

"Three years ago, Covid turned the world upside down, and many of us wondered
what it might look like once it was right side up again. We’re just now
beginning to see that picture more clearly. On the third anniversary of the

(More...)

Why bioplastics won’t solve our plastic problems

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:32:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-bioplastics-wont-solve-our-plastic-problems-200736>

"Last month, Victoria banned plastic straws, crockery and polystyrene
containers, following similar bans in South Australia, Western Australia, New
South Wales and the ACT. All states and territories in Australia have now

(More...)

Can We All Be Like Texas?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:33:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/texas-wind-power-renewable-energy/

"Last week, oil prices went negative. There is nowhere to store the oil being
pumped out of the ground because demand, due to the coronavirus, has collapsed.
There is less flying, less driving and fewer factories operating. So oil

(More...)

The gaming audience is ‘queerer than ever’ – so how are game creators responding?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:24:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-gaming-audience-is-queerer-than-ever-so-how-are-game-creators-responding-199598>

"Mainstream games are embracing openly queer characters – and so are many of
their players and fans.

(More...)

Why Won’t You Recycle My Batteries?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:25:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/where-to-recycle-batteries-us-versus-europe/>

"In the suburb of Los Angeles where I lived for ten years, the local
supermarket shut down the last recycling machine within a ten-mile radius that
paid out cash for empty bottles. A handwritten note was taped to the unplugged

(More...)

ChatGPT, how did you get here? It was a long journey through open source AI

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:26:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/24/column/

'When OpenAI released ChatGPT 3.5 in late November 2022, no one expected much
from the new release. It was just a "research preview," explained Sandhini
Agarwal, an AI Policy researcher at OpenAI. "We didn't want to oversell it as a

(More...)

Friday essay: matrilineal societies exist around the world – it’s time to look beyond the patriarchy

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:27:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-matrilineal-societies-exist-around-the-world-its-time-to-look-beyond-the-patriarchy-200825>

"Thirty years ago, I travelled to Lijiang, an ancient city in the northwest of
China’s Yunnan province in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. Lijiang’s
old town is a tangle of intersecting waterways, arched stone bridges, and

(More...)

Seeding Hope

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:28:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.propublica.org/article/pandemic-spillover-madagascar-health-in-harmony>

"Jocelyn knew only one way to live. Growing up next to the Manombo Special
Reserve in southeast Madagascar, his family taught him from a young age to see
the forest as a source of income. His grandfather had been a logger, cutting

(More...)

The never ending property

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:30:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kynbFDou6GI

I love everything about this.

Via Garbage Day: The desperate collective Id of late-stage Big Tech

(More...)

Lessig for the Internet Archive

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:13:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://medium.lessig.org/lessig-for-the-internet-archive-1fe2b855c8ec

"We should all recognize — and celebrate—the importance of commercial
publishing, for authors and creators everywhere. Commercial publishing creates
the income that authors depend upon to have the freedom to create great new

(More...)

Banking on the Seaweed Rush

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:15:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/banking-on-the-seaweed-rush/

"Offshore from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, a team hauls up a line laden
with meter-long fronds of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima), a floppy, brown
seaweed with crinkled edges. The harvest from Cascadia Seaweed, a kelp farming

(More...)

Scottish wildcats to be released in Cairngorms

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:16:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65065167

"A licence has been approved for the release of captive-bred Scottish wildcats
in the UK's largest national park.

(More...)

Amazing art work on the street! Manhole mass production process. Japanese Manhole cover

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:17:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OYPWgzDBxE

Via Whuffo, who wrote "Japanese manhole covers are often beautifully decorated
pieces of art."

(More...)

The ‘ordinary’ family at No 35: suspected Russian spies await trial in Slovenia

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:20:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/24/suspected-russian-spies-trial-slovenia>

"Maria Mayer and Ludwig Gisch settled in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, in
2017, with their two young children. People who met the couple tended to like
them; the new arrivals from Latin America were friendly but never overbearing,

(More...)

Gordon Moore, Intel Co-Founder, Dies at 94

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:06:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1611/gordon-moore-intel-co-founder-dies-at-94>

"SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intel and the Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation announced today that company co-founder Gordon Moore has passed away
at the age of 94.

(More...)

Papering over “overshoot”

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:07:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://sjgenco.medium.com/papering-over-overshoot-537bf73e467a

"In his latest ode to collapse, Umair, our resident Casandra here on Medium,
mentions how many of our more recent IPCC climate scenarios involve the idea of
“overshoot”, which he describes as a process in which:

(More...)

Are debt-for-climate swaps finally taking off?

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:08:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.energymonitor.ai/finance/are-debt-for-climate-swaps-finally-taking-off/>

"Climate change is causing sea levels to rise faster than for 3,000 years,
bringing a “torrent of trouble” to almost a billion people, UN
secretary-general António Guterres told the UN Security Council on 14 February.

(More...)

Burning Biomass for Electricity is Worse Than Coal

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:10:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/the-new-climate/burning-biomass-for-electricity-is-worse-than-coal-a51db480b20d>

"Burning biomass has long been misclassified as ‘renewable energy’. The
reasoning was always overly simplistic, and amounts to little more than: “we
can always grow more trees, amirite?!” In reality, the biomass industry

(More...)

‘Historic moment’ for nature as Europe’s first wild river national park announced in Albania

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:11:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/15/albania-vjosa-wild-river-national-park-europe-first-aoe>

"One of the last wild rivers in Europe, home to more than 1,000 animal and
plant species, has been declared a national park by the Albanian government,
making the Vjosa the first of its kind on the continent.

(More...)

Don’t “Get” People to Do Anything

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:46:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://rushkoff.medium.com/dont-get-people-to-do-anything-9d59a1cf29a0

"Nearly every time I’m on a panel or in a conversation about civic harmony,
social change or economic equality, someone eventually asks, “I agree, but how
are we going to get people to….?” And that’s when the conversation turns to

(More...)

E.P.A. Tells Dozens of States to Clean Up Their Smokestacks

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:47:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/hTBpS

"WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized a rule forcing
factories and power plants in 23 Western and Midwestern states to sharply cut
smog-causing pollution that is released from their smokestacks and fouls the

(More...)

Wind turbines: infrasound a lot of noise about nothing, study finds

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:50:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/wind-turbines-infrasound-a-lot-of-noise-about-nothing-study-finds-20230322-p5cubm.html>

"Australian scientists have shown that the infrasound generated by wind
turbines does not make people dizzy or nauseous, does not affect heart health
or mental health, or affect sleep.

(More...)

Good news: Some toxic insecticides are vanishing from the atmosphere

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:51:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.ehn.org/air-pollution-in-the-great-lakes-2659413909.html

"Some once-common insecticides linked to harmful human health impacts are
disappearing from the air in the Great Lakes region, though others still
persist, according to new research.

(More...)

The Internet Archive has lost its first fight to scan and lend e-books like a library

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 22:53:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/24/23655804/internet-archive-hatchette-publisher-ebook-library-lawsuit>

"A federal judge has ruled against the Internet Archive in Hachette v.
Internet Archive
, a lawsuit brought against it by four book publishers,
deciding that the website does not have the right to scan books and lend them

(More...)

Wild swan conservation success gives cause for hope

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:38:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64944172

'Numbers of whooper swans are predicted to double in the UK by 2030, thanks to
efforts to protect the wetlands where they spend the winter.

(More...)

Best Air Purifiers of 2023

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:39:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/air-purifiers/best-air-purifiers-of-the-year-a1197763201/>

"Do you spend a lot of time cheffing it up in the kitchen or using cleaning
products throughout the house? Maybe you have a pet that sheds or little ones
who often get sick. Even if your surfaces just seem to collect dust, the air in

(More...)

Afghan Girls Relocate to Rwanda to Continue Their Education: IOM and SOLA Partnership

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:40:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.iom.int/news/afghan-girls-relocate-rwanda-continue-their-education-iom-and-sola-partnership>

"Geneva/Rwanda – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is
supporting the relocation of Afghan girls to Rwanda to continue their
education, following the decision by the de facto authorities to ban women and

(More...)

Controversial Preacher Says Every Church Should Take Over Their Town

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:41:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/backyard-theology/controversial-preacher-says-every-church-should-take-over-their-town-949829c2346a>

"At a recent MAGA rally cross-Christian revival meeting (they appear to be the
same thing these days), Floyd Brown, founder of The Western Journal, boldly
declared that right-wing Christians must “Take back America!”

(More...)

Renewables will be world’s top electricity source within three years, IEA data reveals

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:42:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.carbonbrief.org/renewables-will-be-worlds-top-electricity-source-within-three-years-iea-data-reveals/>

"Carbon Brief analysis of figures in the International Energy Agency (IEA)
electricity market report 2023 shows that renewables, combined with resurgent
nuclear power, will more than cover growth in electricity demand between 2022

(More...)

How a video game has revolutionised the way farmers are buying tractors

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:53:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/games/2023/mar/25/flight-simulator-for-tractors-how-a-video-game-is-enticing-farmers-on-to-xbox>

"Tractors are commonly sold to farmers at agricultural fairs and announced in
the trade press. But machinery makers are falling over themselves to get a
slice of a much more unlikely advertising vehicle: the Farming Simulator

(More...)

Toyota could face $50 million “greenwashing” fine after referral to consumer watchdog

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:54:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thedriven.io/2023/03/06/toyota-could-face-50-million-greenwashing-fine-after-referral-to-consumer-watchdog/>

"Car giant Toyota could face fines of up to $50 million after it was referred
to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for allegedly
making misleading claims regarding the environmental performance of its

(More...)

How to meet the climate crisis? Redefine ‘abundance.’

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:57:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/mRRIh

"A monastic once told me renunciation can be great if it means giving up things
that make you miserable.

(More...)

An Eye-Opening Projection About America’s Clean Energy Future

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:58:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/wWXH2

"America’s electricity grid may be only eight years away from hitting a major
decarbonization milestone, according to a new federal report.

(More...)

Can Dave Brubeck’s Cantata Bring Black and Jewish Communities Together?

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:00:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.thedailybeast.com/can-dave-brubecks-cantata-bring-black-and-jewish-communities-together>

"In late February at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, Remy Ohara,
a UCLA music student, sounded a shofar, the ram’s horn usually used for High
Holiday services at Jewish temples—first in short blasts, then longer sustained

(More...)

UK fishing vessels ‘underreporting’ whale, dolphin and porpoise bycatch

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 23:16:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/21/uk-fishing-industry-underreporting-whale-dolphin-porpoise-bycatch>

"Only a handful of instances of accidental bycatch of whales, dolphins and
porpoises have been recorded under the UK government’s self-reporting
initiative, despite the likelihood that hundreds are being caught by fishing

(More...)

The meat industry blocked the IPCC’s attempt to recommend a plant-based diet

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 23:18:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://qz.com/ipcc-report-on-climate-change-meat-industry-1850261179

"It’s no secret that climate change discourse is shrouded in obfuscation,
disinformation, greenwashing and lies, both outright and of omission. But a
recent leak of a draft of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

(More...)

Education expert John Hattie’s new book draws on more than 130,000 studies to find out what helps students learn

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 23:19:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/education-expert-john-hatties-new-book-draws-on-more-than-130-000-studies-to-find-out-what-helps-students-learn-201952>

"In 2008, I published my book Visible Learning, which aimed to explain what
works best to help student learning. At the time, others claimed it was the
world’s largest evidence-based study into the factors that improve learning.

(More...)

Robot recruiters: can bias be banished from AI hiring?

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 23:20:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/27/robot-recruiters-can-bias-be-banished-from-ai-recruitment-hiring-artificial-intelligence>

"Michael Scott, the protagonist from the US version of The Office, is using
an AI recruiter to hire a receptionist.

(More...)

How and where we build needs to change in the face of more extreme weather – the insurance industry can help

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 23:21:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-and-where-we-build-needs-to-change-in-the-face-of-more-extreme-weather-the-insurance-industry-can-help-202326>

"As New Zealand considers how to better prepare for a future affected by
climate change, the insurance sector needs to be part the discussion on where
and how we build our homes.

(More...)

‘Unprecedented’: domestic violence shelters reach capacity amid Queensland housing crisis

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:05:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/27/unprecedented-domestic-violence-shelters-reach-capacity-amid-queensland-housing-crisis>

"Domestic violence shelters in Queensland say they are struggling to make space
for new arrivals, with the housing crisis forcing women to stay in some refuges
for years.

(More...)

How Stochastic Terrorism Uses Disgust to Incite Violence

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:06:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-stochastic-terrorism-uses-disgust-to-incite-violence/>

"A week and a half before the midterm elections, a man broke into Speaker Nancy
Pelosi’s house, screaming “Where’s Nancy?” and attacked her husband with a
hammer. David DePape, charged in the attack, had posted a slew of rants that

(More...)

Loona Robot

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:10:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://keyirobot.com/pages/loonadetail

"Loona is an adorable and smart companion robot, designed to be your perfect
playmate."

(More...)

Bendy joints, stretchy skin, clumsiness. Why hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is often missed – and what it has to do with autism

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:11:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/bendy-joints-stretchy-skin-clumsiness-why-hypermobile-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-is-often-missed-and-what-it-has-to-do-with-autism-200168>

"There is growing interest in a connective tissue condition called
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

(More...)

Russia accused of taking Belarus ‘nuclear hostage’ with deal to station missiles there

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:12:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/26/russia-accused-of-taking-belarus-nuclear-hostage-missile-deal-ukraine>

"Ukraine has accused Russia of destabilising Belarus and making its smaller
neighbour into “a nuclear hostage”, after Vladimir Putin’s announcement that
Moscow has made a deal to station tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian

(More...)

Climate change: Couple set for Pole-to-Pole electric car challenge

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:47:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-64964294>

'A husband and wife from Aberdeen aim to drive from the Arctic to Antarctica in
an electric car.

(More...)

Marsupials and other mammals separately evolved flight many times, and we are finally learning how

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:48:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/marsupials-and-other-mammals-separately-evolved-flight-many-times-and-we-are-finally-learning-how-202152>

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land on the next tree. Many
groups of mammals seem to have taken this evolutionary advice to heart.
According to our newly published paper in Science Advances, unrelated animals

(More...)

I realised the fat-tailed dunnart was under threat. Here’s how I got the species officially listed

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:50:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/i-realised-the-fat-tailed-dunnart-was-under-threat-heres-how-i-got-the-species-officially-listed-200632>

"Saving endangered species is an uphill battle in Australia, the mammal
extinction capital of the world. But the first step, threatened species
listing, can be confusing, tedious and time-consuming.

(More...)

Refugees trying to reach Italy die after boats sink off coast of Tunisia

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:50:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/26/refugees-trying-to-reach-italy-die-after-boat-sinks-off-coast-of-tunisia>

"At least 29 people from sub-Saharan Africa have died while trying to reach
Italy after two boats carrying them across the Mediterranean sank off the coast
of Tunisia.

(More...)

Hydrogen expert says blending green fuel into gas network an “expensive” waste

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:52:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reneweconomy.com.au/hydrogen-expert-says-blending-green-fuel-into-gas-network-an-expensive-waste/>

"South Australia’s experiment with blending five per cent hydrogen into its
household gas network in Adelaide is a “waste of precious renewable energy,” a
visiting expert has said.

(More...)

Fishing for data: commercial fishers help monitor rising temperatures in coastal seas

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:48:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/fishing-for-data-commercial-fishers-help-monitor-rising-temperatures-in-coastal-seas-202115>

"The world’s oceans are buffering us from the worst climate impacts by taking
up more than 90% of the excess heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions. This
has warmed them by 0.88℃ (on average globally), according to the latest climate

(More...)

Why Resorts Are Racist Garbage

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:49:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://zora.medium.com/why-resorts-are-racist-garbage-3a35ab165866

"I know an American woman who wanted to come to Costa Rica and stay at a
resort. Since she has three kids, it made sense: No cooking, no cleaning, and
no taxis. Just beach and sunshine.

(More...)

The World Bank used to cause untold harm – but 30 years ago it started reforming. What went right

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:50:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-world-bank-used-to-cause-untold-harm-but-30-years-ago-it-started-reforming-what-went-right-202270>

"Development projects can have profound impacts on their societies. There are
many benefits that flow from building new roads and power plants, and from
modernising agricultural practices. But they can also have permanent negative

(More...)

How the UK transformed its electricity supply in just a decade

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:51:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://interactive.carbonbrief.org//how-uk-transformed-electricity-supply-decade/>

"This interactive article shows how the UK has transformed its electricity
supply in a decade – and how things are expected to continue changing.

(More...)

TB in children isn’t being controlled - it’s key to fighting the disease for everyone else

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:53:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/tb-in-children-isnt-being-controlled-its-key-to-fighting-the-disease-for-everyone-else-201966>

"World TB Day on March 24th will commemorate the day in 1882 when Professor
Robert Koch announced in Berlin that he had discovered the microbial cause of
tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

(More...)

Competition From the US Is Forcing Europe to Up Its Green Game

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:39:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/Ge7Ma

"It looked like the start of a transatlantic trade war over climate policy.

As US President Joe Biden hosted his French counterpart in Washington on Dec.

(More...)

World ‘population bomb’ may never go off as feared, finds study

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:40:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/27/world-population-bomb-may-never-go-off-as-feared-finds-study>

"The long-feared “population bomb” may not go off, according to the authors of
a new report that estimates that human numbers will peak lower and sooner than
previously forecast.

(More...)

Broke and disabled in Tory Britain: the reality of life on one meal a day

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:41:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/27/broke-and-disabled-in-tory-britain-the-reality-of-life-on-one-meal-a-day>

"In his Buckinghamshire front room, Mike is working out how many meals he has
to skip this week to make sure his wife can afford to eat.

(More...)

2022 was a good year for nature in Australia – but three nasty problems remain

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:42:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/2022-was-a-good-year-for-nature-in-australia-but-three-nasty-problems-remain-201778>

"A new report card on Australia’s environment reveals 2022 was a bumper year
for our rivers and vegetation – but it wasn’t enough to reverse the long-term
decline in plant and animal species.

(More...)

I had two options – die or find a way to live as a transgender man

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:43:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/28/i-had-two-options-die-or-find-a-way-to-live-as-a-transgender-man>

"At the age of three I told my nana, “There’s been a mistake, I’m not a girl”;
at 17 I made my identity public knowledge. I am Jasper, a now 24-year-old
transgender man, almost seven years into my transition – and happier than ever.

(More...)

Will an Oil Racket Destroy One of Africa’s Most Sacred Places?

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:55:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/oil-drilling-africa-destroy-wild-land-namibia-recon-investors-1234697088/>

"At the edge of the Okavango Delta in northern Namibia, the land is so flat
that I could see the top of ReconAfrica’s drill rig when we were about a mile
away. ReconAfrica is a small Canadian oil-and-gas-exploration company that

(More...)

In Russia’s war against Ukraine, one of the battlegrounds is language itself

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:55:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/in-russias-war-against-ukraine-one-of-the-battlegrounds-is-language-itself-201170>

"More and more Ukrainians are switching from speaking Russian to speaking
Ukrainian. In the media, this language shift is frequently portrayed as recent,
dating back to the Russian invasion of February 2022. But the invasion was not

(More...)

At chocolate time, we’ve discovered what the brands that score best on child labour and the environment have in common

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:58:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/at-chocolate-time-weve-discovered-what-the-brands-that-score-best-on-child-labour-and-the-environment-have-in-common-201682>

"What distinguishes a company that makes “good” chocolate (chocolate untainted
by child labour, modern slavery, deforestation and the overuse of
agrichemicals) from one that merely makes chocolate?

(More...)

‘A great place to start’: All new state schools to have Indigenous names

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:59:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/a-great-place-to-start-all-new-state-schools-to-have-indigenous-names-20230327-p5cvil.html>

"Alisha Campbell loves the name of her school because it sparks conversations
about its meaning.

(More...)

‘The media normalises war-mongering’: how Chinese Australians respond to talk of war in mainstream media

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 15:01:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-media-normalises-war-mongering-how-chinese-australians-respond-to-talk-of-war-in-mainstream-media-202500>

"Early this month, the Daily Mail published a story online implying three
Chinese men taking photos at the Avalon Airshow in Melbourne were spies. After
complaints and an open letter condemning the paper for racially profiling the

(More...)

Indian Government Cuts Off Internet Access To 27 Million Punjab Residents As It Continues Its Targeting Of Sikhs

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 22:57:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/27/indian-government-cuts-off-internet-access-to-27-million-punjab-residents-as-it-continues-its-targeting-of-sikhs/>

"The Indian government under Narendra Modi has become an even worse version of
itself. It has expanded its power unilaterally to silence critics and oppress
citizens Modi doesn’t care for. It has continued to do this despite courts

(More...)

Redditor shares shocking image of what their school is throwing away: ‘That is so disheartening’

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 22:58:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/reddit-school-computer-monitor-e-waste/>

"One Reddit user is sparking a debate after posting a photo showing a room full
of computer monitors that their school was seemingly throwing away.

(More...)

8-Year-Old Artist Surprises Aunt With Painted Portrait That Earned Finalist Spot in an Art Competition

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 23:01:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://mymodernmet.com/lenny-mcnaughton-aunt-painting/

"The love of an aunt is something truly special. As the saying goes, they give
hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister, and share love like a friend.
That's why they can be their niece's and nephew's favorite person. An

(More...)

The environmental impact of Russia’s invasion goes beyond Ukraine – how do we deal with ‘problems without passports’?

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 23:01:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-environmental-impact-of-russias-invasion-goes-beyond-ukraine-how-do-we-deal-with-problems-without-passports-202505>

"Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to be a defining moment in the evolution
of the post-Cold War world. In particular, it is highlighting problems that do
not respect borders, such as the environmental damage caused by war. These are

(More...)

Amazing Invention- This Drone Will Change Everything

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 23:03:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOWDNBu9DkU

"These folks engineering a much better way to deliver your basically anything."

(More...)

Ghost rodents: get ready to fall in love with Australia’s albino rats and mice

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:39:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ghost-rodents-get-ready-to-fall-in-love-with-australias-albino-rats-and-mice-201458>

"Discoveries of albino animals have a unique ability to capture the public
imagination, often leading to flurries of social media and news coverage.
(Think Migaloo, the famous white humpback whale.)

(More...)

Why Western Sydney is feeling the heat from climate change more than the rest of the city

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:40:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-western-sydney-is-feeling-the-heat-from-climate-change-more-than-the-rest-of-the-city-201477>

"Global warming has led to higher summer temperatures across Sydney over the
past 30 years. However, our data analysis shows very hot summer days are
becoming much more common in Western Sydney than in coastal Sydney. These

(More...)

Get Off My Desktop! Windows Needs to Stop Showing Tabloid News

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:42:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-keeps-feeding-tabloid-news

"Did you know that pigs eat humans (opens in new tab) “far more often than
people expect?” If not, surely you must have heard the important, breaking news
that a priest “died” in 2016, went to Hell (opens in new tab) briefly and

(More...)

This Buddhist sculpture probably won’t ‘rewrite history’ – Western Australia already has a rich Chinese past

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:43:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/this-buddhist-sculpture-probably-wont-rewrite-history-western-australia-already-has-a-rich-chinese-past-201770>

"Does the discovery of a Ming Dynasty Buddha sculpture found near Shark Bay in
remote Western Australia “rewrite history” and suggest the Chinese first
visited Australia 600 years ago?

(More...)

Hollywood Pretends There Is No Pandemic

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:45:42 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.pestemag.com/featured-posts/hollywoodpretendsnopandemic-5phhj>

"For actor Woody Harrelson, it’s the Covid safety protocols and not the deadly
and disabling disease itself that threatens the future of indie films. Covid
prevention measures on set, he told press, are unfair to everyone beneath him.

(More...)

The Voice: what is it, where did it come from, and what can it achieve?

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 14:06:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-voice-what-is-it-where-did-it-come-from-and-what-can-it-achieve-202138>

"This week, the government will introduce a constitutional amendment into
parliament to establish the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. If
successful, it will go to a referendum likely in October or November.

(More...)

Environmental tragedy as fires burn through one-fifth of Northern Territory national park

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 14:07:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/29/environmental-tragedy-as-fires-burn-through-one-fifth-of-northern-territory-national-park>

"Large fires west of Alice Springs have burnt through 20% of the Tjoritja/West
MacDonnell national park in what conservationists say is a nationally
significant environmental tragedy.

(More...)

Navigating the unpredictability of everything

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 14:09:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://longform.asmartbear.com/predict-the-future/

"When we create strategies, we’re told to “skate where the puck is going.” That
means predicting the future, such as macro economic trends, and the trends of
our industry and immediate competitive markets.

(More...)

Russian dad on the run after daughter's art triggers prison sentence

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 14:11:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-ukraine-war-russian-father-convicted-over-daughters-drawings/8101f724-a08c-402b-a513-570fcac3c11b>

'A Russian court has convicted a single father over social media posts critical
of the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to two years in prison — a case brought
against him after his daughter's drawings at school opposed the invasion,

(More...)

Our new study provides a potential breakthrough on school bullying

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 14:11:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/our-new-study-provides-a-potential-breakthrough-on-school-bullying-195716>

"Your child comes home from school and tells you three classmates are teasing
her constantly. One even put chewed gum in her hair as she was listening to the
teacher. The other two smiled, laughed and whooped.

(More...)

One million people are living below the poverty line in NSW, census data has revealed

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 23:44:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/28/one-million-people-are-living-below-the-poverty-line-in-nsw-census-data-has-revealed>

"One million people – including one in seven children – are living below the
poverty line in New South Wales, according to a new report highlighting the
deepening inequality across Sydney.

(More...)

How poverty and racism 'weather' the body, accelerating aging and disease

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 23:45:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.gpb.org/news/shots-health-news/2023/03/29/how-poverty-and-racism-weather-the-body-accelerating-aging-and>

'In 2020, the overall life expectancy in the U.S. dropped by 1.5 years, largely
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the reduction wasn't shared equally among the
general population; Native American people lost an average of 4.5 years of life

(More...)

Low vaccination and immunity rates mean NZ faces a harsh whooping cough winter – what needs to happen

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 23:47:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/low-vaccination-and-immunity-rates-mean-nz-faces-a-harsh-whooping-cough-winter-what-needs-to-happen-202499>

"Following the deaths of two infants, doctors and scientists worry New
Zealand’s whooping cough epidemic could be the worst in years.

(More...)

Rise of ‘fuel-guzzling’ SUVs costing Australians $13bn extra at the pump per year, report finds

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 23:48:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/28/rise-of-fuel-guzzling-suvs-costing-australians-13bn-extra-at-the-pump-per-year-report-finds>

"Surging SUV ownership means Australians are needlessly spending an extra $13bn
a year to fuel their cars, and the trend is sending transport emissions into
overdrive at the same time similar nations are reducing them.

(More...)

Is ‘climate anxiety’ a clinical diagnosis? Should it be?

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 23:48:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/is-climate-anxiety-a-clinical-diagnosis-should-it-be-202232>

"Last week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprised of the
world’s most esteemed climate experts, delivered its sixth report and “final
warning” about the climate crisis. It outlined several mental health challenges

(More...)

Putin prepares Russia for ‘forever war’ with west as Ukraine invasion stalls

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 06:58:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/28/putin-prepares-russia-for-forever-war-with-west-as-ukraine-invasion-stalls>

"One evening in late December, as Muscovites strolled along their city’s
brightly lit streets in anticipation of the end-of-year celebrations, a group
of old friends gathered for dinner at the flat of a senior state official.

(More...)

What is a paraben and why are so many products advertised as ‘paraben-free’?

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 06:58:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-paraben-and-why-are-so-many-products-advertised-as-paraben-free-198994>

"You might have noticed many skin and haircare products are advertised as
“paraben-free”, or come across online influencers warning parabens are terrible
for your health.

(More...)

Guardian owner apologises for founders’ links to transatlantic slavery

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 06:59:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/mar/28/guardian-owner-apologises-founders-transatlantic-slavery-scott-trust>

"The owner of the Guardian has issued an apology for the role the newspaper’s
founders had in transatlantic slavery and announced a decade-long programme of
restorative justice.

(More...)

The Twelve Apostles are back in Aboriginal hands after Vic's first native title determination in 10 years

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 07:01:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/the-first-victorian-native-title-in-10-years-has-put-the-twelve-apostles-back-in-blak-hands/fq9ghuo8p>

'Peoples of the Eastern Maar nation are celebrating following the handback of
more than 8500 square kilometres of their traditional lands.

(More...)

The Ties That Bind Us

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 07:03:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2023/mar/28/slavery-and-the-guardian-the-ties-that-bind-us>

"If you know how a trick is done, if you have peered through the smoke and
looked past the mirrors, if you have figured out how the illusion is
accomplished, surely you can no longer be fooled by it? Surely?

(More...)

How our founders’ links to slavery change the Guardian today

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:00:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/news/commentisfree/2023/mar/28/how-our-founders-links-to-slavery-change-the-guardian-today>

"I remember the moment. We were meeting the historians who had been
commissioned by the Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian, to look into our
past. The Black Lives Matter movement had put unprecedented focus on racism in

(More...)

Museums Are Improving Life for People With Dementia

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:01:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/museum-programs-dementia-patients-care-givers/>

"As soon as the National Museums Scotland curator finished her presentation on
the country’s Jacobite movement, the 14 people in the sun-flooded room erupted
in chatter.

(More...)

The Global Jukebox

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:03:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://theglobaljukebox.org/

"The Global Jukebox explores connections between families of expressive style.
One can travel the world of song, dance and language through the Wheel Chart
and the Map. Thousands of examples of the world’s music, dance and other

(More...)

EU agrees to push for worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels at COP28

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:04:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/03/10/eu-agrees-to-push-for-worldwide-phaseout-of-fossil-fuels-at-cop28>

"European Union countries have agreed to push for the global phaseout of fossil
fuels at COP28.

(More...)

Pupils protest over toilet rules: why school responses should consider children’s rights

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:05:32 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/pupils-protest-over-toilet-rules-why-school-responses-should-consider-childrens-rights-201239>

"Many people across the UK have been protesting in 2023. Teachers on strike
over pay and working conditions marched through London with placards and
listened to speeches on March 15. Protests against the government’s illegal

(More...)

Mathematicians have finally discovered an elusive ‘einstein’ tile

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:44:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mathematicians-discovered-einstein-tile>

"A 13-sided shape known as “the hat” has mathematicians tipping their caps.

It’s the first true example of an “einstein,” a single shape that forms a

(More...)

How one country set aside nearly $500M for electric vehicle subsidies, but not for cars

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:45:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://electrek.co/2023/03/29/indonesia-electric-motorcycle-subsidies-just-not-for-cars/>

"The age of electric vehicles is upon us, and has been for years now. Electric
cars have received most of the attention, but in many countries, it is actually
electric two-wheelers like e-motorcycles and e-bikes that are silently

(More...)

We provided health care for children in immigration detention. This is what we found

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:46:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-provided-health-care-for-children-in-immigration-detention-this-is-what-we-found-201783>

"Australia’s immigration policies allow for indefinite locked detention,
including for children and families. Detention is mandatory for people arriving
without a valid visa – all those who arrived by boat between 2009 and 2013 were

(More...)

AI and the American Smile

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:47:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/@socialcreature/ai-and-the-american-smile-76d23a0fbfaf>

"Imagine a time traveler journeyed to various times and places throughout human
history and showed soldiers and warriors of the periods what a “selfie” is."

(More...)

Torrents of Antarctic meltwater are slowing the currents that drive our vital ocean ‘overturning’ – and threaten its collapse

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:48:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/torrents-of-antarctic-meltwater-are-slowing-the-currents-that-drive-our-vital-ocean-overturning-and-threaten-its-collapse-202108>

"Off the coast of Antarctica, trillions of tonnes of cold salty water sink to
great depths. As the water sinks, it drives the deepest flows of the
“overturning” circulation – a network of strong currents spanning the world’s

(More...)

Ignore the doomsayers, the sky won’t fall if Australian workers get a pay rise

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:24:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2023/mar/30/ignore-the-doomsayers-the-sky-wont-fall-if-australian-workers-get-a-pay-rise>

"Occasionally I wonder if I will ever get to see a genuine wages breakout,
because in my 30 years of working and 15 years of writing about politics and
economics I have yet to see one, despite regular warnings that one is imminent.

(More...)

Welcome to Brandon Sanderson's Fantasy Empire

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:26:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a43438119/brandon-sanderson-profile/>

"“This is my dream,” Brandon Sanderson says.

We’re 30 feet beneath the surface of northern Utah, in a room that feels like a

(More...)

Mark Hamill, Star Wars' Luke Skywalker himself, is now the voice of Ukraine's air raid alert app

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:28:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/mark-hamill-voices-ukraine-air-raid-alerts-mobile-app-missiles/102156322>

'"Attention. Air raid alert," the voice says with a Jedi knight's gravitas.
"Proceed to the nearest shelter."

(More...)

Humza Yousaf: Scotland gets a Muslim leader in a moment of extraordinary change for British politics

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:29:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/humza-yousaf-scotland-gets-a-muslim-leader-in-a-moment-of-extraordinary-change-for-british-politics-202687>

"Humza Yousaf’s appointment as first minister of Scotland is a historic moment
for the UK. It means that, for the first time in history, the country has a
Hindu prime minister in Westminster (Rishi Sunak) and a Muslim first minister

(More...)

LGBTQ+ advocates call for stronger legal protections across Australia after attacks

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:31:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/29/australian-lgbtq-advocates-call-for-stronger-legal-protection-after-anti-trans-incidents>

"LGBTQ+ advocates are calling for stronger legal protections after a series of
attacks against Australia’s queer community.

(More...)

How ‘TeachTok’ is helping teachers connect with their students on TikTok

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:13:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-teachtok-is-helping-teachers-connect-with-their-students-on-tiktok-202240>

"Before social media, students rarely knew their teachers beyond their
professional position in the classroom. Perhaps we might bump into them in the
neighbourhood, at a supermarket, or in a restaurant. But as students, we knew

(More...)

Pirate porn and candle wax: review of Australian film classification recommends end to ban on fetishes

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:14:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/30/pirate-porn-and-candle-wax-review-of-australian-film-classification-recommends-end-to-ban-on-fetishes>

"Australia should ditch its censorship of certain fetishes and some instances
of violence in pornography, according to a review that could open the way to
everything from wax fetishes to pirate pornography.

(More...)

Long COVID puts some people at higher risk of heart disease – they need better long-term monitoring

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:15:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/long-covid-puts-some-people-at-higher-risk-of-heart-disease-they-need-better-long-term-monitoring-202596>

"Lasting damage to the heart and brain is an aspect of long COVID that should
receive much more attention than it has so far. We have sufficient evidence now
to call for ongoing monitoring of individuals across the population.

(More...)

UK government and royals called on to investigate slavery links after Guardian apology

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:17:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/mar/29/uk-government-royals-called-on-investigate-slavery-links-after-guardian-apology>

"UN experts are leading calls for the British government and royal family to
investigate their historical links to transatlantic slavery and take steps
toward restorative justice.

(More...)

For remote Aboriginal families, limited phone and internet services make life hard. Here’s what they told us

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:18:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/for-remote-aboriginal-families-limited-phone-and-internet-services-make-life-hard-heres-what-they-told-us-201295>

"It’s well understood that the digital divide disproportionately affects people
living in regional Australian communities. Remote Aboriginal communities in
particular are among the most digitally excluded, yet there is little research

(More...)

Lest we remember: how Britain buried its history of slavery

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:22:11 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2023/mar/29/lest-we-remember-how-britain-buried-its-history-of-slavery>

"Slightly tucked away from Manchester’s main thoroughfares, in a quiet square
that bears his name, there is a statue of Abraham Lincoln – as it happens, just
outside the windows of the Guardian’s offices in the city where the newspaper

(More...)

Australia’s cultural institutions are especially vulnerable to efficiency dividends: looking back at 35 years of cuts

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:23:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/australias-cultural-institutions-are-especially-vulnerable-to-efficiency-dividends-looking-back-at-35-years-of-cuts-202727>

"In January the Albanese government launched a new arts policy, Revive. Among
its measures was a commitment to exempt Australia’s seven national performing
arts training organisations from the efficiency dividend.

(More...)

Melting Antarctic ice predicted to cause rapid slowdown of deep ocean current by 2050

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:24:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/melting-antarctic-ice-predicted-to-cause-rapid-slowdown-of-deep-ocean-current-by-2050>

"Melting ice around Antarctica will cause a rapid slowdown of a major global
deep ocean current by 2050 that could alter the world’s climate for centuries
and accelerate sea level rise, according to scientists behind new research.

(More...)

The world is hooked on junk food: how big companies pull it off

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:25:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-world-is-hooked-on-junk-food-how-big-companies-pull-it-off-202463>

"It is almost impossible nowadays to listen to the radio, watch TV or scroll
through social media without being exposed to an advertisement telling us that
all we need for a little happiness and love is a sugary drink or a fast-food

(More...)

If it Ain’t Real, Don’t Fix It

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:26:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://rushkoff.medium.com/if-it-aint-real-don-t-fix-it-c080b27f82c5

"While giving a recent television interview about promise and peril AI, I was
asked about the inevitable “unemployment problem.” What would we do about all
the jobs that would be lost to AI? I paused, then almost jokingly responded,

(More...)

ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin: a king-size dilemma for South Africa

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:04:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/icc-arrest-warrant-for-vladimir-putin-a-king-size-dilemma-for-south-africa-202528>

"The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an international arrest
warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes regarding
the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Such acts are war

(More...)

Deputies Who Raided Afroman’s House Sue Him For Daring To Turn Footage Of The Raid Into A Viral Video

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:05:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/29/deputies-who-raided-afromans-house-sue-him-for-daring-to-turn-footage-of-the-raid-into-a-viral-video/>

"When the Adams County (OH) sheriff’s office raided rap artist Afroman’s home,
he didn’t just sit back and assume everyone involved operated in good faith.
The raid was captured on Afroman’s security cameras, which the artist soon

(More...)

Fodor’s No List 2023

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:06:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/fodors-no-list-2023

"Maybe the world is trying to tell us to slow down. So far this year, we’ve
clocked 29 climate-related disasters that have each caused more than a billion
dollars worth of damage, from a catastrophic “monsoon on steroids” in Pakistan

(More...)

Uganda’s new anti-LGBTQ+ law could lead to death penalty for same-sex ‘offences’

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:07:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ugandas-new-anti-lgbtq-law-could-lead-to-death-penalty-for-same-sex-offences-202376>

"People in same-sex relationships in Uganda now face the possibility of life in
prison after the country’s parliament unanimously passed its 2023
anti-homosexuality bill. The legislation, which Amnesty International has

(More...)

As The Social Media Moral Panic Continues, People Keep Highlighting How Much Value It Actually Provides

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 06:08:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/29/as-the-social-media-moral-panic-continues-people-keep-highlighting-how-much-value-it-actually-provides/>

"I know we’re deep, deep, deep into the moral panic about social media being
uniquely awful, especially for kids. It’s driving all sorts of nonsense,
including the false idea that we’re in a uniquely excessive period of

(More...)

What happened to the Senate inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women?

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:29:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-happened-to-the-senate-inquiry-into-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-201755>

"The Australian Senate’s inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was
briefly on the political agenda late last year, with little media coverage.

(More...)

Winnie The Pooh Escapes Copyright Hell, Grabs Some Weapons, And Immediately Gets Kicked Out Of Hong Kong

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:30:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/29/winnie-the-pooh-escapes-copyright-hell-grabs-some-weapons-and-immediately-gets-kicked-out-of-hong-kong/>

"The life-plus-seventy-years sentence imposed on Winnie the Pooh by Cher’s
ex-husband is finally over. Petitions for an early release went unheeded,
forcing the butt naked childhood icon to perform tricks for the heirs of its

(More...)

Could this self-driving EV charging robot be a game changer?

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:31:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://electrek.co/2023/03/31/self-driving-ev-charging-robot/

"NaaS Technology has unveiled this self-driving EV charging robot that finds
your EV, smart charges it, and takes auto payments.

(More...)

Russia is forcing Western companies exiting its market to make a donation to the country — and it's making it harder for them to leave

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:32:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-war-western-firms-leaving-donate-federal-budget-2023-3>

"More than a year into the Ukraine war, the Kremlin is still thinking of ways
to penalize foreign companies exiting the country — and it is now making the
departure more expensive.

(More...)

Measles has been identified in NSW, Qld and SA. 5 things to know about the virus

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:32:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/measles-has-been-identified-in-nsw-qld-and-sa-5-things-to-know-about-the-virus-202945>

"New South Wales health authorities have issued a measles alert after a baby
who recently returned from overseas, and subsequently visited several sites in
Western Sydney, tested positive to the virus.

(More...)

‘Vulkan files’ leak reveals Putin’s global and domestic cyberwarfare tactics

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:57:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/30/vulkan-files-leak-reveals-putins-global-and-domestic-cyberwarfare-tactics>

"The inconspicuous office is in Moscow’s north-eastern suburbs. A sign reads:
“Business centre”. Nearby are modern residential blocks and a rambling old
cemetery, home to ivy-covered war memorials. The area is where Peter the Great

(More...)

Whether you’re a snorkeller or CEO, you can help save our vital kelp forests

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:58:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/whether-youre-a-snorkeller-or-ceo-you-can-help-save-our-vital-kelp-forests-202620>

"What if we told you the world has forests harbouring creatures with three
hearts and where the canopy can grow by a foot a day? What if we told you it
was silently disappearing? What if we told you we now have the chance to bring

(More...)

Cyberwarfare leaks show Russian army is adopting mindset of secret police

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:59:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/30/cyberwarfare-leaks-show-russian-army-is-adopting-mindset-of-secret-police>

"A consortium of media outlets have published a bombshell investigation about
Russia’s cyber-capabilities, based on a rare leak of documents. The files come
from NTC Vulkan, a cybersecurity firm in Moscow that doubles as a contractor to

(More...)

Don’t listen to Gwyneth Paltrow – IVs are not a shortcut to good health

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:59:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/dont-listen-to-gwyneth-paltrow-ivs-are-not-a-shortcut-to-good-health-202621>

"Actor and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow declared “I love an IV!” recently,
calling herself an “early adoptor” of intravenous infusion during a podcast.
Both she and the show’s host were hooked up to drips during an interview in

(More...)

US condemns arrest of WSJ journalist as Russia accused of ‘hostage taking’

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 23:01:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/us-condemns-arrest-of-wsj-journalist-as-russia-accused-of-hostage-taking>

"Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, has condemned Russia’s arrest of
the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, as Moscow was accused of
engaging in “hostage taking” by arresting a high-profile journalist who could

(More...)

Next Big Thing: Communicating the next pandemic

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:00:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/communicating-next-pandemic/

"Every day there is more and more medical evidence coming to light of the
long-term effects of COVID infection. There now appears to be a distinction
between long COVID and the sort of longer-term complications such as heart

(More...)

Latin America poised to become renewable energy giant: report

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:01:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230309-latin-america-poised-to-become-renewable-energy-giant-report>

'Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Latin America is poised to become a major renewable
energy producer, with nearly a billion solar panels' worth of large-scale
clean-electricity projects slated to come online in the next seven years, a

(More...)

Rebecca Giblin on chokepoint capitalism

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:04:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://lwn.net/Articles/927278/

'The fourth and final keynote for Everything Open 2023 was given by Professor
Rebecca Giblin of the Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne. It
revolved around her recent book, Chokepoint Capitalism, which she wrote with

(More...)

Solar Panels Floating in Reservoirs? We’ll Drink to That

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:06:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/ETNaL

"With the price of solar power cratering by 85 percent during the 2010s, the
question is no longer whether it’s economically feasible to deploy the
technology on a large scale. Now it’s: Where can’t we put solar panels?

(More...)

Want to Help Rid the Ocean of Plastic? Grab an Oar

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:07:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/clean-ocean-sailing-plastic-pollution/

"“We are fishing for marine plastic under sail,” says Steve Green, of Clean
Ocean Sailing (COS). From their roving, rabble-rousing home and headquarters on
the Annette, a 115-year-old sailing boat, Green and his co-captain, Monika

(More...)

Carmakers Can Kiss Pre-Pandemic Combustion Car Sales Goodbye

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:31:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/eVGrS

"There are growing signs that global auto sales will continue their comeback
from the pandemic, chip shortage and other supply chain snarls. As the recovery
takes shape, it’s becoming clearer that sales of internal combustion vehicles

(More...)

How a TikToker Brought Hundreds of Transplants to a Midwestern City

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:32:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/realestate/tiktok-peoria-illinois.html>

"Mariela Munguía was idly browsing TikTok when something piqued her attention,
prompting her to double back mid-scroll: a video about a two-bedroom house for
sale in Peoria, Ill., for less than $50,000.

(More...)

Volkswagen introduces ID 2all affordable EV concept with nearly 300 miles range

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:34:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://electrek.co/2023/03/15/vw-reveals-id-2all-affordable-ev-concept-with-279-mile-range/>

"After doubling down on its electric vehicle strategy with a new close to $200
billion investment (€180 billion) to accelerate digitalization and EV
development over the next five years, VW is plowing ahead with a new EV

(More...)

What does Trump’s indictment mean for his political future – and the strength of US democracy?

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:35:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-does-trumps-indictment-mean-for-his-political-future-and-the-strength-of-us-democracy-202231>

"Events often seem inevitable in hindsight. The indictment of former US
President Donald Trump on criminal charges has been a possibility since the
start of his presidency – arguably, since close to the beginning of his career

(More...)

Norway’s largest electric truck is a 66t monster that will cut out 156 tons of CO2 annually

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:36:28 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://electrek.co/2023/03/14/norways-largest-electric-truck-will-cut-out-156-tons-of-co2-annually/>

"Scania AB, a Swedish commercial automotive manufacturer, has delivered
Norway’s largest electric truck. The 66-ton mammoth will transport around
120,000 tonnes of lime annually, reducing emissions on the route by 156 tons.

(More...)

The Framework Laptop 16 is trying to bring back snap-on removable batteries

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 22:14:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/30/23612467/framework-laptop-16-battery-parts-games>

"I may have changed my mind about buying a Framework Laptop 13 this year, but
I’m not done being excited about the company’s products. Heck, I’m more
enthusiastic than ever — because it looks like Framework is seriously planning

(More...)

AI’s Victories in Go Inspire Better Human Game Playing

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 22:17:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ais-victories-in-go-inspire-better-human-game-playing/>

"In 2016 a computer named AlphaGo made headlines for defeating then world
champion Lee Sedol at the ancient, popular strategy game Go. The “superhuman”
artificial intelligence, developed by Google DeepMind, lost only one of the

(More...)

How Washington State Redefined ‘Homeless’

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 22:17:46 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/washington-state-homeless-assistance-students/>

"When her bill for overdue rent topped five digits, Resly Suka decided it was
time to tell her kids they might lose their home.

(More...)

Has the 3D printing revolution finally arrived?

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 22:19:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/12/3d-printing-the-new-technology-comes-into-its-own>

"Nori bricks, which were first fired in the Lancashire town of Accrington in
1887, quickly became legendary as the hardest brick ever produced. Their
strength, derived from the chemical properties of the local clay, enabled

(More...)

Shining example? Solar power boosts struggling Tunisian school

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:07:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.context.news/net-zero/shining-example-solar-power-boosts-struggling-tunisian-school>

'MAKTHAR, Tunisia - A decade ago, the Makthar boarding school in northern
Tunisia had little clean drinking water or heat, poor food and no electricity
for its nearly 570 students.

(More...)

Disney unveils next-generation robot and other new 'blue-sky' technologies at SXSW

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:08:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2023/03/10/disney-sxsw-new-tech-robot/11443667002/>

'Disney unveiled its next generation of robots at SXSW Friday.

With the head of a bunny and a child-size frame, the robot tumbled out of a

(More...)

Adam Conover: A.I. is B.S.

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:10:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro130m-f_yk

"The real risk of A.I. isn't that some super-intelligent computer is going to
take over in the future - it's that the humans in the tech industry are going
to screw the rest of us over right now."

(More...)

Moooove over: How single-celled yeasts are doing the work of 1,500-pound cows

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:10:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/8VNud

"BERKELEY, Calif. — The first course was a celery root soup lush with whole
milk. The last was a spice cake topped with maple cream cheese frosting, served
with a side of ice cream. And then a latte with its fat cap of glossy foam. In

(More...)

Trans, Bans, and Elephants, Oh My! A Discussion With a 4th Grader

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:12:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/31/2160057/-Trans-Bans-and-Elephants-Oh-My-A-Discussion-With-a-4th-Grader>

"A couple of nights ago, I had a discussion with my daughter, who is in 4th
grade.  It started because she had heard about banned books (which mercifully
isn’t a thing in her school library because we live in a place where those who

(More...)

Putting the Silicon in Silicon Valley

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:04:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v45/n06/john-lanchester/putting-the-silicon-in-silicon-valley>

"Picture​ the following age-old scene: a writer sitting at a kitchen table,
pretending to work. Set it forty years ago. The Conservatives are in power and
everything is broken, but our subject is the writer’s stuff. On the table is a

(More...)

An Education Through Earthsea

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:06:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://newrepublic.com/article/146948/education-earthsea

"The most beguiling promise of fantasy fiction is that of self-knowledge. At
some point the protagonist discovers, with the force of a calling from God,
that he is no mere mortal, but a wizard, a dragonslayer, a king. It is an

(More...)

The UK’s Warning: We Are Not Prepared for Climate Change

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:07:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/the-new-climate/the-uks-warning-we-are-not-prepared-for-climate-change-db3299ee7dad>

"The race to Net Zero by 2050 is on. The recent IPCC report warned what’s at
stake. At a national level, the recent Skidmore Review laid out the economic
and societal benefits of getting to Net Zero as fast as possible (TL;DR: our

(More...)

World Happiness Report 2023

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:09:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://happiness-report.s3.amazonaws.com/2023/WHR+23_Ch0.pdf

"It has been over ten years since the first World Happiness Report was
published. And it is exactly ten years since the United Nations General
Assembly adopted Resolution 66/281, proclaiming 20 March to be observed

(More...)

Status of World Nuclear Forces

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:10:14 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://fas.org/issues/nuclear-weapons/status-world-nuclear-forces/

"Despite progress in reducing nuclear weapon arsenals since the Cold War, the
world’s combined inventory of nuclear warheads remains at a very high level:
nine countries possessed roughly 12,500 warheads as of early-2023.

(More...)

Every household will go on a journey of electrification. We can make that easier, or harder

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:57:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/01/every-household-will-go-on-a-journey-of-electrification-we-can-make-that-easier-or-harder>

"In 2021, the publisher of my book The Big Switch arranged a hectic book
tour, in two chunks, on the east and south coasts of this continent. I didn’t
want to fly; since my book was about why we need to electrify everything to

(More...)

Welcome to Cheapassic Park.

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:58:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://crabfragmentlabs.com/game-preserve

"James Ernest founded Cheapass Games in 1996, and over the next 22 years,
published more than 100 original board and card games.

(More...)

Ghana offers free long-term contraception in a ‘game changer’ for women’s reproductive health rights

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:59:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.ippf.org/blogs/ghana-offers-free-long-term-contraception-game-changer-womens-reproductive-health-rights>

"In a major win for women’s reproductive rights, Ghana’s National Health
Insurance Program has expanded to include free long-term contraception from 1
January 2022. The move will allow millions of women of reproductive age who are

(More...)

‘A living pantry’: how an urban food forest in Arizona became a model for climate action

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 23:00:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/21/urban-food-forest-dunbar-spring-tucson-arizona-climate-crisis-drought>

"Near downtown Tucson, Arizona, is Dunbar Spring, a neighborhood unlike any
other in the city. The unpaved sidewalks are lined with native, food-bearing
trees and shrubs fed by rainwater diverted from city streets. One single block

(More...)

Click Here If You Want to Be Sad

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 23:01:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2023/03/negativity-bias-online-news-consumption/673499/>

"Last week, I saw a new paper in the journal Nature Human Behavior called
“Negativity Drives Online News Consumption.” That seems bad, I thought.
Naturally, I clicked.

(More...)

After the dams: Restoring the Klamath River will take billions of native seeds

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:21:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.opb.org/article/2023/03/20/klamath-river-dam-removal-restoration-billions-native-seeds/>

"On the north shore of Iron Gate Reservoir, Frank Henry Jr. jams a heavy metal
pole into the ground and twists. Once a hole is excavated, he grabs a stick
from a 5-gallon bucket. Water drips from the small tangle of roots at one end.

(More...)

Plastic paving: Egyptian startup turns millions of bags into tiles

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:22:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/plastic-paving-egyptian-startup-turns-millions-bags-into-tiles-2023-03-20/>

'CAIRO, March 19 (Reuters) - An Egyptian startup is aiming to turn more than 5
billion plastic bags into tiles tougher than cement as it tackles the twin
problems of tonnes of waste entering the Mediterranean Sea and high levels of

(More...)

Framework Laptop Teardown: 10/10, But is it Perfect?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:24:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV2umY3R0vw

"Framework is a new company on the block with big ambitions: their first laptop
is built to be incredibly easy to repair and customize. We've been anxiously
waiting to get our hands on this thing to see whether it lives up to our

(More...)

Where did all the Poles go?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:25:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.is/ndjbi

"Surrounded by ancestral portraits, the Countess of Carnarvon sits in her
morning room, contemplating the challenge of running Highclere Castle. A cloud
settles over her sunny features as she ponders life without the Polish help.

(More...)

Brazil evicts miners from Yanomami territory, prepares for more removals

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:27:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/brazil-evicts-miners-yanomami-territory-prepares-more-removals-2023-03-21/>

'BRASILIA, March 21 (Reuters) - Brazil has ousted almost all illegal gold
miners from the Yanomami territory, its largest indigenous reservation, and
will remove miners from six more reserves this year, the head of the federal

(More...)

Capitalising on climate anxiety: what you need to know about ‘climate-washing’

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:23:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/capitalising-on-climate-anxiety-what-you-need-to-know-about-climate-washing-202507>

"People are increasingly making choices about which products to buy and which
service providers to use on climate change grounds. With concerns about climate
change now affecting most Australians, businesses that promote climate-aligned

(More...)

Solar panels could be a lifesaver for public housing tenants grappling with Australia’s soaring energy costs

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:25:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/03/solar-panels-could-be-a-lifesaver-for-public-housing-tenants-grappling-with-australias-soaring-energy-costs>

"Natalie Rabey doesn’t know how much time she has left. But she knows what she
wants to do with it.

(More...)

Ever feel like your life is a performance? Everyone does – and this 1959 book explains roles, scripts and hiding backstage

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:27:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/ever-feel-like-your-life-is-a-performance-everyone-does-and-this-1959-book-explains-roles-scripts-and-hiding-backstage-195939>

"Shakespeare’s adage — “All the world’s a stage” — suggests human beings are
conditioned to perform, and to possess an acute social awareness of how they
appear in front of others.

(More...)

‘No end to this’: six visas, six migration agents, four jobs in regional Australia and still no permanent residency

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:28:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/03/no-end-to-this-six-visas-six-migration-agents-four-jobs-in-regional-australia-and-still-no-permanent-residency>

"After approximately $70,000, six visas, six migration agents and four
different jobs in regional areas, the Sri Lankan national Mohamed Farshan
Mohamed Fairoos is no closer to reaching his goal to have the right to settle

(More...)

5 books for kids and teens that positively portray trans and gender-diverse lives

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:30:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/5-books-for-kids-and-teens-that-positively-portray-trans-and-gender-diverse-lives-202832>

"International Transgender Day of Visibility is an opportunity to celebrate
trans and gender-diverse people – and to raise awareness of the ongoing
discrimination they experience.

(More...)

Bird flu FAQ: What is avian influenza? How is it transmitted to humans? What are the symptoms? Are there effective treatments and vaccines? Will H5N1 become the next viral pandemic?

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 22:56:29 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/bird-flu-faq-what-is-avian-influenza-how-is-it-transmitted-to-humans-what-are-the-symptoms-are-there-effective-treatments-and-vaccines-will-h5n1-become-the-next-viral-pandemic-201632>

"Avian influenza (“bird flu”) is a highly contagious viral infection that
affects wild and domestic birds worldwide. It has recently gained notoriety for
its devastating impact on the commercial poultry sector and as an emerging

(More...)

‘Bees are sentient’: inside the stunning brains of nature’s hardest workers

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 22:57:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/02/bees-intelligence-minds-pollination>

"When Stephen Buchmann finds a wayward bee on a window inside his Tucson,
Arizona, home, he goes to great lengths to capture and release it unharmed.
Using a container, he carefully traps the bee against the glass before walking

(More...)

Remote working: how a surge in digital nomads is pricing out local communities around the world

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 22:58:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/remote-working-how-a-surge-in-digital-nomads-is-pricing-out-local-communities-around-the-world-200670>

"For eight years I have studied digital nomadism, the millenial trend for
working remotely from anywhere around the world. I am often asked if it is
driving gentrification.

(More...)

"Poverty, By America" by Matthew Desmond review – how the rich keep the poor down

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 22:59:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/22/poverty-by-america-by-matthew-desmond-review-how-the-rich-keep-the-poor-down>

"It’s no wonder Americans have failed to eliminate poverty, sociologist Matthew
Desmond maintains in his new book. He believes the better-off are fighting a
class war, keeping the poor down by design. Even if he shies away from some of

(More...)

Biden Creates Two National Monuments in the Southwest

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 23:00:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/8bBZc

"WASHINGTON — President Biden on Tuesday will designate two new national
monuments in the Southwest, insulating from development a half million acres in
Nevada that are revered by Native Americans and 6,600 acres in Texas that were

(More...)

A new study about seabirds and offshore wind turbines may surprise you

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:42:08 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://electrek.co/2023/03/02/seabirds-and-offshore-wind-turbines-vattenfall/>

"Swedish power giant Vattenfall did a two-year, €3 million study of seabirds at
an offshore wind farm off Scotland – here’s what it found.

(More...)

EPA sets ‘groundbreaking’ limits on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:43:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/14/epa-drinking-water-limits-pfas-forever-chemicals>

"The US Environmental Protection Agency has taken the extraordinary step of
setting legal drinking water limits for six of the most studied and toxic PFAS
compounds, known commonly as “forever chemicals”, that are at the center of an

(More...)

AI Art Generators and the Online Image Market

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:44:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/04/ai-art-generators-and-online-image-market>

"Now that computer-generated imaging is accessible to anyone with a weird idea
and an internet connection, the creation of “AI art” is raising questions—and
lawsuits. The key questions seem to be 1) how does it actually work, 2) what

(More...)

International Criminal Court has cited Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children a war crime: on Russia’s long history of weaponising deportation

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:45:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/international-criminal-court-has-cited-russias-deportation-of-ukrainian-children-a-war-crime-on-russias-long-history-of-weaponising-deportation-203040>

"On March 17, the International Criminal Court cited Russia’s deportation of
Ukrainian children as a war crime for which President Vladimir Putin is being
held responsible.

(More...)

Transphobia and The Manufacturing of Moral Panics

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:45:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/prismnpen/transphobia-and-the-manufacturing-of-moral-panics-c4d2f4fdd359>

"With an anti-trans and broader anti-LGBT moral panic in full swing,
perpetuated by the media, I think it is worth going over some of the parallels
that exist between this and other moral panics. I think it is high time that we

(More...)

Wild Elephants Appear to Have Been Domesticated, But Not by Humans

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:13:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/wild-elephants-appear-to-have-been-domesticated-but-not-by-humans>

"Over many thousands of years, a species of animal that shared a close
relationship with wolves slowly morphed into something that loves to curl up in
your lap, get belly rubs, and eat kibble three times a day.

(More...)

How digital marketing of legal but harmful products escalates health threats to the most vulnerable

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:14:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/how-digital-marketing-of-legal-but-harmful-products-escalates-health-threats-to-the-most-vulnerable-201164>

"The marketing of legal but harmful products – like alcohol and tobacco – has
always targeted our emotional desires. But it has now moved to digital and
social media, and this creates a heightened threat to public health because

(More...)

Industrial heavyweights call for urgent action on cutting Australia’s emissions

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:15:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/04/bhp-and-rio-tinto-among-australian-heavy-industry-calling-for-urgent-action-on-cutting-emissions>

"Some of Australia’s biggest heavy industrial companies – including BHP,
BlueScope, Rio Tinto and Woodside – say urgent action is needed from
governments, investors and business for Australia to cut greenhouse gas

(More...)

Family support protects trans young people – but their families need support too

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:15:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/family-support-protects-trans-young-people-but-their-families-need-support-too-202743>

"In her address to the National Press Club of Australia today, actress, writer
and advocate Georgie Stone OAM is sharing her experience as a young trans
person growing up in Australia.

(More...)

Ai Weiwei finds peace in Portugal: ‘I could throw away all my art and not feel much’

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 15:17:07 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/apr/03/ai-weiwei-interview-peace-portugal-chinese-might-western-jealousy-design>

"It is a warm, clear spring morning and Ai Weiwei is giving me a tour of the
huge new studio he is building about an hour’s drive from Lisbon. There is not
another house in sight, just the flat green landscape of the Alentejo, and a

(More...)

The UN is asking the International Court of Justice for its opinion on states’ climate obligations. What does this mean?

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 23:21:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-un-is-asking-the-international-court-of-justice-for-its-opinion-on-states-climate-obligations-what-does-this-mean-202943>

"The United Nations has just backed a landmark resolution on climate justice.

Last week, the UN General Assembly supported a Pacific-led resolution asking

(More...)

IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 23:23:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

"This Synthesis Report (SYR) of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6)
summarises the state of knowledge of climate change, its widespread impacts and
risks, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. It integrates the main

(More...)

Don’t Demolish That House — ‘Deconstruct’ It!

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 23:24:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/minneapolis-house-deconstruction-demolition-birch-group/>

"What happens when old buildings have reached the end of their life, either
their useful life in terms of safety or their desirable life in terms of modern
living? For the hundreds of thousands of homes that meet their end in the U.S.

(More...)

The New U.N. Climate Report Has Arrived. Resist the Urge to Despair

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 23:26:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://time.com/6264465/un-climate-report-ipcc-panic/

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a behemoth
report on our warming world—something it has done routinely for three decades.
Though the findings have evolved considerably over the years, the news cycle is

(More...)

Groovy Datasets for Test Databases

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 23:26:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://redis.com/blog/datasets-for-test-databases/

"Teaching yourself new tech skills often requires a “starter project” and data
to support that project. Your motivation for learning the new skill could be
anything: preparing for a career upgrade, curiosity about a hot, new

(More...)

Jacinda Ardern says goodbye to parliament: how her politics of kindness fell on unkind times

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:10:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/jacinda-ardern-says-goodbye-to-parliament-how-her-politics-of-kindness-fell-on-unkind-times-202434>

"Jacinda Ardern’s resignation as prime minister in January was a courageous and
pragmatic decision for herself, her family and her party. Although many said
she’d done a great job as leader, she rightly reminded us that a great leader

(More...)

Sexist Internet Trolls Are Targeting Women Climate Scientists Now

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:11:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5ybw3/climate-scientists-online-abuse

"Almost three-quarters of climate scientists who appear in the media every
month have experienced online abuse—and women are bearing the brunt of it, a
new report found.

(More...)

Vintage Home Plans

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:12:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://vintagehomeplans.tumblr.com/

"20th century houses from around the world (for the edification of us all). No
copyright infringement intended."

(More...)

‘We haven’t got anybody’: new research reveals how major parties are dying in remote Australia

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:13:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-havent-got-anybody-new-research-reveals-how-major-parties-are-dying-in-remote-australia-203124>

"On the eve of the 2019 federal election, a Labor Party politician made a
panicked phone call to someone they knew in Kununurra, a remote town of over
5,000 people in Western Australia. As the person later recalled to us during an

(More...)

Australia’s high-polluting utes spark calls to change fuel-efficiency laws

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:14:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/05/australias-high-polluting-utes-spark-calls-to-change-fuel-efficiency-laws>

"Australia’s top-selling utes are among the most expensive and polluting
vehicles to run and their popularity means transport emissions are projected to
remain high as manufacturers funnel their least efficient models to the

(More...)

Monsters or masters of the deep sea? Why the deepest of deep-sea fish aren’t as scary as you might think

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:25:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/monsters-or-masters-of-the-deep-sea-why-the-deepest-of-deep-sea-fish-arent-as-scary-as-you-might-think-203231>

"How deep can fish live in the ocean? That question has captivated me for more
than a decade. But my research team’s discovery of the deepest sea fish,
announced this week, might not be the final answer. There may be more. How deep

(More...)

The Flashlight-Wielding, Frog-Taxiing Guardians of Spring’s ‘Big Night’

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:25:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/the-flashlight-wielding-frog-taxiing-guardians-of-springs-big-night/>

"On rainy early spring nights, when temperatures reach the mid-40s, Sarah
Wilson can be found walking along one of the quiet roads of rural Nelson, New
Hampshire.

(More...)

Children have a basic understanding of poverty – a more equal society means talking to them about it

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:26:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/children-have-a-basic-understanding-of-poverty-a-more-equal-society-means-talking-to-them-about-it-202820>

"Rates of child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand remain stubbornly high, despite
the issue being the focus of considerable political attention while Jacinda
Ardern was prime minister.

(More...)

Nigerian Children Branded as Witches Get a New Chance at Life

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:27:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reasonstobecheerful.world/in-nigeria-children-overcome-witchcraft-branding/>

"As a child in Calabar, Nigeria, David Etim had an avid interest in
electronics. He tinkered with home equipment, wanting to understand the inner
workings of machines. But despite his passion, Etim often couldn’t reassemble

(More...)

Children of same-sex parents see outcomes as good or better than heterosexual couples: study

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:28:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/children-of-same-sex-parents-see-outcomes-as-good-or-better-than-heterosexual-couples-study/>

"(The Hill) — A new study found that children of same-sex parents have home
lives that are as good or better than those of heterosexual couples.

(More...)

More than 650 refugees arrived in this regional town. Locals’ welcoming attitudes flipped the stereotype

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 22:22:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/more-than-650-refugees-arrived-in-this-regional-town-locals-welcoming-attitudes-flipped-the-stereotype-202140>

"When we think of regional towns in Australia, some of us might think
“close-knit”, “conservative”, or “resistant to change”.

(More...)

What are microaggressions? And how can they affect our health?

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 22:23:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/what-are-microaggressions-and-how-can-they-affect-our-health-193309>

"Microaggressions are seemingly innocuous verbal, behavioural or environmental
slights against members of minority communities.

(More...)

Report Finds Investments in U.S. Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Reach $120 Billion, Create 143,000 New Jobs

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 22:24:57 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.edf.org/media/report-finds-investments-us-electric-vehicle-manufacturing-reach-120-billion-create-143000>

"(Washington, D.C. – March 14, 2023) The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and
other national policies have catalyzed already thriving investments in electric
vehicle manufacturing in the U.S., according to a new report by Environmental

(More...)

Study quantifies the under-appreciated ways in which wildlife are part of the carbon equation

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 22:26:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2023/03/study-quantifies-the-under-appreciated-ways-in-which-wildlife-are-part-of-the-carbon-equation/>

"When people warn that the destruction of nature is contributing to climate
change, the image that often comes to mind is tropical rainforests felled by
chainsaws and fires. Oswald Schmitz would like you to think about something

(More...)

Check Out This ‘Cat Heaven’ – Built on the Ceiling to Save Space (LOOK)

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 22:27:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/check-out-cat-heaven-built-on-the-ceiling/>

"In a great use of vertical space, a woman’s mom built hanging cat beds and
walkways for their five beloved felines.

(More...)

Online retailer Book Depository closing after nearly 20 years, customers lament decision

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:11:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-05/book-depository-closing-down-last-orders-april-26/102190004>

'Online book retailer Book Depository has announced it will be closing before
the end of this month.

(More...)

UN chief demands Taliban revoke ban on women staff

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:17:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/5/un-chief-demands-taliban-revoke-ban-on-women-staff>

"The UN has said that it cannot accept a Taliban decision to bar Afghan female
staffers from working at the agency, calling it an “unparalleled” violation of
women’s rights.

(More...)

No, BlackRock is not leading a Marxist assault on capitalism

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:20:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/no-blackrock-is-not-leading-a-marxist-assault-on-capitalism-203042>

"Five years ago it would have been unimaginable, but today there is a global
movement convinced the world’s largest corporations are engaging in stealth
warfare to transform liberal democracies into neo-communist dictatorships.

(More...)

Russian defector sheds light on Putin paranoia and his secret train network

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:21:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/05/russian-defector-sheds-light-on-putin-paranoia-including-secret-train>

"A senior Russian security officer who defected last year has given rare
insight into the paranoid lifestyle of Vladimir Putin, confirming details of a
secret train network, identical offices in different cities, a strict personal

(More...)

In Fiji, the climate crisis is no longer off in the future – it's a daily reality

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:22:03 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-06/fiji-climate-change-moving-villages-vunidogoloa/102186670>

'As he pushed through knee-deep water, Sailosi Ramatu suddenly paused. He
pointed to the stub of a post barely visible in the seabed.

(More...)

Don’t fret about students using ChatGPT to cheat – AI is a bigger threat to educational equality

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:08:48 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/dont-fret-about-students-using-chatgpt-to-cheat-ai-is-a-bigger-threat-to-educational-equality-202842>

"Schools and universities are panicking about artificial intelligence (AI) and
cheating. But AI presents far more significant threats to equity in education.

(More...)

Ice sheets can collapse at 600 metres a day, far faster than feared, study finds

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:09:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/05/ice-sheets-collapse-far-faster-than-feared-study-climate-crisis>

"Ice sheets can collapse into the ocean in spurts of up to 600 metres (2,000
feet) a day, a study has found, far faster than recorded before.

(More...)

NPR Was Twitter’s Example Of What Should NOT Be Labeled ‘State-Affiliated Media.’ Then Musk Added The Label And Retconned The Policy

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:11:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/04/05/npr-was-twitters-example-of-what-should-not-be-labeled-state-affiliated-media-then-musk-added-the-label-and-retconned-the-policy/>

"For years I’ve joked that everyone who hasn’t thought about trust & safety
thinks that it’s easy: just do what /I/ would do. The assumption is that
there’s a “right” set of ways to handle these questions, when the reality is

(More...)

Chinese Electric Cars Are Here To Stay. Here's Why

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:11:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONFSVOI1Ge4

"Together in person for the very first time, Robert, Jack and Elliot sit down
for a chat on all things Chinese EVs. How come they've so suddenly exploded
with popularity? Are they any good? Should you have any concerns around buying

(More...)

On Vinyl: A brief history of East Palestine’s toxic train disaster

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:13:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://orionmagazine.org/article/east-palestine-train-derailment-plastics-history/>

"THE TRAIN THAT DERAILED NEAR THE Ohio-Pennsylvania border in February 2023 was
hauling mixed frozen vegetables. It was hauling malt liquor and semolina flour
as well as chemicals used to make plastics. Chemicals like vinyl chloride

(More...)

DCC-EX: open-source model railroading

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:07:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://lwn.net/Articles/928244/

'There's just something about trains—model trains in particular. At
Everything Open 2023, Paul Antoine spoke about his experiences with the DCC-EX
project, which has a variety of model-railroad automation hardware designs and

(More...)

Racist and sexist depictions of human evolution still permeate science, education and popular culture today

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:08:27 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/racist-and-sexist-depictions-of-human-evolution-still-permeate-science-education-and-popular-culture-today-202011>

"Systemic racism and sexism have permeated civilization since the rise of
agriculture, when people started living in one place for a long time. Early
Western scientists, such as Aristotle in ancient Greece, were indoctrinated

(More...)

By sharing housing, seniors and migrants in Sweden build bridges

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:09:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2023/0315/By-sharing-housing-seniors-and-migrants-in-Sweden-build-bridges>

"It was when his older Swedish neighbors threw him a high school graduation
party that Afghan native Zia Sarwary finally felt a sense of belonging in this
picturesque seaside city.

(More...)

Australia’s hydrogen “superpower” dream could be massive waste of money, says Griffith

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:10:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://reneweconomy.com.au/australias-hydrogen-superpower-dream-could-be-massive-waste-of-money-says-griffith/>

"The well-funded push to make Australia a green hydrogen superpower is shaping
up to be a costly economic mistake and a waste of the nation’s abundant
renewable energy resources, Rewiring Australia co-founder Saul Griffith has

(More...)

Soaring, leaping, swooping … a world of wildlife by the world’s top photographers

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 23:11:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2023/apr/04/world-of-wildlife-by-worlds-top-photographers-new-big-5-aoe>

"From the Iberian lynx to the Chilean devil ray and mountain gorilla, these
stunning images by some of the world’s best nature photographers appear in The
New Big 5: A Global Photography Project for Endangered Wildlife
, by

(More...)

Switching to Hydrogen Fuel Could Cause Long-Term Climate Consequences

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 06:02:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://scitechdaily.com/switching-to-hydrogen-fuel-could-cause-long-term-climate-consequences/>

"Research conducted by Princeton University and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Association suggests that a chemical reaction in the lower
atmosphere could restrict the potential of hydrogen as a clean fuel.

(More...)

In Bahamas, a struggle to save conch, and a way of life

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 06:07:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/conch-overfishing-saving-food-extinction-bahamas-08c4c37a1a1429636186e046eb92bda1>

"FREEPORT, Bahamas (AP) — Tereha Davis, whose family has fished for conch from
waters around the Bahamas for five generations, remembers when she could walk
into the water from the beach and pick up the marine snails from the seabed.

(More...)

We Need an Operation Warp Speed for Long COVID

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 06:08:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-need-an-operation-warp-speed-for-long-covid/>

"Long COVID is a multifaceted condition that can follow SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
infection and affects the neurologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic
and endocrine systems, leading to anything from mild to debilitating disease.

(More...)

N.J. environmentalists credit plastic bag ban with reducing litter along the shore

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 06:09:52 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://whyy.org/articles/new-jersey-beach-litter-sweeps-report-plastic-bag-ban/>

"From car batteries to roofing tiles, baseballs, nail polish, and a popcorn
popper.

(More...)

A national bullying of the poor: the trouble with America’s bootstrapping myth

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 06:11:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/06/poverty-us-bootstrapping-self-made>

"One day, I received an email from a stranger about how the poor are
responsible for their own poverty.

(More...)

Bali Has Had Enough of ‘Naughty Tourists’ Who Have Sex in Public and Break Traffic Laws

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:20:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3mevy/police-crackdown-tourists-bali

"Sam has lived in Bali for years. Working as a tattoo artist, the Russian has
forged strong friendships on the island, which he says has changed his outlook
on life.

(More...)

Indian government accused of rewriting history after edits to schoolbooks

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:21:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/06/indian-government-accused-of-rewriting-history-after-edits-to-schoolbooks>

"The Indian government has been accused of rewriting history to fit its Hindu
nationalist agenda after school textbooks were edited to remove references to
Mahatma Gandhi’s opposition to Hindu nationalism, as well as mention of a

(More...)

ChatGPT is 'so wildly incorrect' that an Australian whistleblower is suing it for defamation

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:23:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.pcgamer.com/chatgpt-is-so-wildly-incorrect-that-an-australian-whistleblower-is-suing-it-for-defamation/>

"We all know ChatGPT gets stuff wrong. As in very wrong, and all the time.
While that can be amusing, it's less funny if ChatGPT is mistakenly identifies
you as a criminal. And it's less funny still if you were in fact the person who

(More...)

To Farm or Not to Farm?

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:23:55 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://4fishgreenberg.medium.com/to-farm-or-not-to-farm-4f0b29fec6d3

"In 2021 I quit farming. You would have never seen that coming if you’d
scrolled through my Instagram in the years preceding my decision. Back in my
early agricultural days, in my 20s, my account was thick with images of

(More...)

The Secret to Happiness May Not Be Low Expectations After All

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:25:05 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/the-secret-to-happiness-may-not-be-low-expectations-after-all>

'Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world for the sixth
year running. A range of theories has been put forward to explain why the
Nordic nation continues to rank at the top of the table for happiness, from

(More...)

Can a ‘nature repair market’ really save Australia’s environment? It’s not perfect, but it’s worth a shot

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:30:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/can-a-nature-repair-market-really-save-australias-environment-its-not-perfect-but-its-worth-a-shot-203126>

"Australia has embarked on an experiment to create a market for biodiversity.
No, we’re not talking about buying and selling wildlife, although, sadly, there
is a black market for that. This is about repairing and restoring landscapes,

(More...)

The Truth About Our Civilization’s Fascism Problem Is Even Worse Than You Think

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:32:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://eand.co/the-truth-about-our-civilizations-fascism-problem-is-even-worse-than-you-think-3e7f183bd79f>

"Here’s a funny, dark, absurd juxtaposition that sums up just how much trouble
our world is in. Quick, what’s the world’s happiest country? Finland. That
research just came out a few days ago. Guess who just went…pretty…fascist? LOL,

(More...)

Since the late 19th century, adventurous female ‘eclipse chasers’ have contributed to science in Australia

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:33:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/since-the-late-19th-century-adventurous-female-eclipse-chasers-have-contributed-to-science-in-australia-200552>

"A total solar eclipse is a remarkable alignment of our Sun, Earth and the
Moon, as the latter casts a perfect shadow across the former.

(More...)

Falling Lithium Prices Are Making Electric Cars More Affordable

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:35:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/jZByR

"Lithium, the common ingredient in almost all electric-car batteries, has
become so precious that it is often called white gold. But something surprising
has happened recently: The metal’s price has fallen, helping to make electric

(More...)

Many local councils still officially pray to God. Here’s why this may be unlawful and should be abandoned

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:35:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/many-local-councils-still-officially-pray-to-god-heres-why-this-may-be-unlawful-and-should-be-abandoned-203192>

"There’s a good chance your local council starts each official council meeting
with a religious prayer – and it’s almost always a Christian prayer.

(More...)

A Potential Major Discovery: An Aperiodic Monotile

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:52:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://kottke.org/23/03/a-potential-major-discovery-an-aperiodic-monotile>

"The authors of a new preprint paper claim that they've discovered what's
called an aperiodic monotile, a single shape that can cover a two-dimensional
space with a pattern that never repeats itself exactly. One of the authors,

(More...)

California seeks federal help for salmon fishers facing ban

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:54:12 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.clickorlando.com/business/2023/04/07/us-panel-approves-salmon-fishing-ban-for-much-of-west-coast/>

"SAN DIEGO – California officials want federal disaster aid for the state's
salmon fishing industry, they said Friday following the closure of recreational
and commercial king salmon fishing seasons along much of the West Coast due to

(More...)

Animal Personalities Can Trip Up Science, But There’s a Solution

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:55:21 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://nautil.us/animal-personalities-can-trip-up-science-but-theres-a-solution-290026/>

"Several years ago, Christian Rutz started to wonder whether he was giving his
crows enough credit. Rutz, a biologist at the University of St. Andrews in
Scotland, and his team were capturing wild New Caledonian crows and challenging

(More...)

Russia’s alleged deportation of Ukrainian children has caused a UN standoff – what international law says and why it matters

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:55:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/russias-alleged-deportation-of-ukrainian-children-has-caused-a-un-standoff-what-international-law-says-and-why-it-matters-202430>

"The New Zealand government’s sanctioning of Russian commissioner for
children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova is a further demonstration of its concern
over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. But it is only a small step in what will

(More...)

Dan Wang: 2022 letter

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:57:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://danwang.co/2022-letter/

"Mountains offer the best hiding places from the state.

There were a lot of state controls to escape from in 2022. Two days before

(More...)

the html review

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:24:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://thehtml.review/

"Dear web surfer,

It’s Spring again, and so I am thrilled to welcome you to the second issue of

(More...)

Medieval and Renaissance Women: full list of the manuscripts

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:28:36 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2023/03/medieval-and-renaissance-women-full-list-of-the-manuscripts.html>

"Rejoice! Over the past year, we've been hard at work digitising and
cataloguing manuscripts connected with Medieval and Renaissance Women. We can
now announce that all the manuscript volumes are online, no fewer than 93

(More...)

The Hollywood economy is reeling as streaming can’t turn a profit and residuals disappear for writers and actors

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:29:47 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://fortune.com/2023/04/07/hollywood-economy-struggles-residual-checks-streaming-profit-cutbacks-writers-strike/>

"Actor Diana-Maria Riva is all too familiar with one of her shows being
canceled. For a performer, it’s a painful, unfortunate part of show business.
But this was different.

(More...)

(Why) Yesterday Was a Very Good Day for America’s Democracy

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:31:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://eand.co/why-yesterday-was-a-very-good-day-for-americas-democracy-a8d16bed6c54>

"Yesterday was that rarest of thing in recent times: a very good day for
America. For American democracy. Which, like it or not, sets the tone for the
world’s. First, there was the arraignment of Donald Trump — replete with perp

(More...)

How Universal Are Our Emotions?

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 17:35:06 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/08/how-universal-are-our-emotions>

"There’s nothing like migration to reveal how things that seem natural may be
artifacts of culture. When I left India for college in England, I was surprised
to find that pinching my Adam’s apple didn’t mean, as I had thought it meant

(More...)

Citroën Oli: The Most Revolutionary EV In The World

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:00:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/predict/citro%C3%ABn-oli-the-most-revolutionary-ev-in-the-world-91f53fc32a98>

"Electric cars are amazing, aren’t they? Emissions-free, planet-friendly
motoring! Right? Well, while most EVs are better for the environment than their
gas-guzzling counterparts, they aren’t as eco-friendly as you might think.

(More...)

‘Headed off the charts’: world’s ocean surface temperature hits record high

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:04:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/08/headed-off-the-charts-worlds-ocean-surface-temperature-hits-record-high>

"The temperature of the world’s ocean surface has hit an all-time high since
satellite records began, leading to marine heatwaves around the globe,
according to US government data.

(More...)

Cochlear Implant Users Face Grim Future Without Repair or Upgrades

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:06:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.ifixit.com/News/74164/cochlear-implant-users-face-grim-future-without-repair-or-upgrades>

"Vikas is a child living in India who was born deaf. At age four, he received
both surgery and a cochlear implant as part of a government program. Those who
qualify for the program include migrants and daily wage earners with limited

(More...)

Even dynamite could not destroy the people of the Budj Bim stones

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:07:18 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/even-dynamite-could-not-destroy-the-people-of-the-budj-bim-stones-20190711-p5266e.html>

"Australians, particularly those of far south-west Victoria, are celebrating
this week.

(More...)

A social and medical examination of Long COVID as a “mass disabling event”: Part 1

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:08:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/04/04/long-a04.html

"After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term consequences of
infection with SARS CoV-2—called Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of
SARS-CoV-2 (PASC)—remain a dire threat to humanity. Long COVID researchers and

(More...)

Reducing inequality could see world population fall to 6 billion

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:29:02 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/epYI4

"The global population will peak at 8.6 billion in 2050 and decline to 7
billion by 2100 if current trends continue. That is the projection of a model
developed as part of an initiative from the Club of Rome non-profit

(More...)

COVID-19 cases in Australia were up 35 per cent in March

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:30:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.examiner.com.au/story/8145258/this-is-not-over-covid-19-cases-on-the-rise-especially-in-one-hotspot/>

"Health authorities are on alert as COVID-19 cases rise in time for the winter
flu season.

(More...)

Africa’s TB reduction rate falls short amid slowing global progress

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:31:39 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.afro.who.int/news/africas-tb-reduction-rate-falls-short-amid-slowing-global-progress>

"Brazzaville – The African region is recording around 4% annual decline rate in
tuberculosis (TB) cases. Although the rate is double the global pace, the
region risks missing major milestones and targets to end the disease if efforts

(More...)

COVID complacency as virus becomes third most deadly

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:33:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.aap.com.au/news/covid-complacency-as-virus-becomes-third-most-deadly/>

"COVID-19 has skyrocketed to become the third leading cause of death among
Australians in 2022, raising a dire warning from experts who insist the
pandemic is not over despite widespread messaging to the contrary.

(More...)

Nigeria’s AIDS-related deaths decline to 51,000 -FG

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:34:43 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://punchng.com/nigerias-aids-related-deaths-decline-to-51000-fg/

"The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Thursday,
said the AIDS-related deaths in the country have declined from 264,463 in 2015
to about 51,000 in 2022.

(More...)

Facing floods: What the world can learn from Bangladesh's climate solutions

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:08:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/03/26/1165779335/facing-floods-what-the-world-can-learn-from-bangladeshs-climate-solutions>

'SUNAMGANJ, Bangladesh – Majida Begum squats in the mud where her kitchen used
to be, scaling fish with a dull blade.

(More...)

Hundreds die of COVID after catching virus while in hospital

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:09:37 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/hundreds-die-of-covid-after-catching-virus-while-in-hospital-20230330-p5cwjx.html>

"Hundreds of patients died of COVID after catching the virus while being
treated at Victorian hospitals for unrelated ailments.

(More...)

Kenya's announcement to expand use of landmark malaria vaccine gives hope to millions

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:10:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://abcnews.go.com/ABCNews/kenyas-announcement-expand-landmark-malaria-vaccine-hope-millions/story?id=97764191>

'LONDON — Kenya’s Ministry of Health has announced this week a "significant
step" in the fight against Malaria as the East African nation expands its use
of the world’s first-ever malaria vaccine.

(More...)

The Last Of Coronavirus

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:11:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thisishistorictimes.com/2023/03/the-last-of-coronavirus-joe-biden-pretends-covid-19-pandemic-emergency-is-over/>

"The US government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic sure has been similar to
its handling of climate change, huh? Just accelerated to play out over the
course of only a few years, as opposed to several decades (if we’re lucky).

(More...)

Historic UN conference marks watershed moment to tackle global water crisis and ensure water-secure future

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:12:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/03/press-release-historic-un-conference-marks-watershed-moment-to-tackle-global-water-crisis-and-ensure-water-secure-future/>

"New York, United States, 24 March – The UN 2023 Water Conference in New York
culminated today with a breakthrough response to the global water crisis, with
governments, businesses and civil society committing billions of dollars to

(More...)

Mobile wardrobe to visit Victoria's Central Highlands to provide clothes to people hit by rising cost of living

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:31:45 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-09/cafs-thread-together-clothing-central-highlands-inflation/102195566>

'A mobile wardrobe van will deliver brand-new clothing to a rising number of
people doing it tough in regional and rural parts of Victoria.

(More...)

Wondrous donkey adventure EO decentres the human perspective in pursuit of a new way of seeing

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:33:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-09/eo-review-oscar-nominee-donkey-movie-jerzy-skolimowski/102180408>

"Animal adventure as psychedelic dream, Oscar-nominated donkey tale EO is
that rarest of things: a narrative film that actively decentres the human
perspective in pursuit of a new way of seeing.

(More...)

The Eagles - Hotel California - Reimagined on the Traditional Chinese Guzheng | Moyun

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:34:40 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf6v59c5yuY

'This time I will bring you a fun loop form! Different from the previous
multi-part ensemble, it is possible to complete a piece of music in one go, and
the process is quite interesting~

(More...)

ChatGPT is making up fake Guardian articles. Here’s how we’re responding

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:35:41 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/06/ai-chatgpt-guardian-technology-risks-fake-article>

"Last month one of our journalists received an interesting email. A researcher
had come across mention of a Guardian article, written by the journalist on a
specific subject from a few years before. But the piece was proving elusive on

(More...)

Largest river and wetland restoration initiative in history launched at UN Water Conference

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 02:37:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/largest-river-and-wetland-restoration-initiative-history-launched-un>

'New York, 23 March 2023 - A coalition of governments today launched the
Freshwater Challenge - the largest ever initiative to restore degraded rivers,
lakes and wetlands, which are central to tackling the world’s worsening water,

(More...)

Merchants of Doubt

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:51:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://johnsnowproject.org/insights/merchants-of-doubt/

"Some people wave away concerns about the long-term effects of COVID-19 by
saying, “if it was really bad, the government would take steps to protect
people.”

(More...)

This 51-year-old pays $725 a month to live in a ‘tiny home on wheels’ in someone’s backyard—take a look inside

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:55:15 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/08/51-year-old-pays-725-a-month-to-live-in-a-luxury-tiny-home-on-wheels-in-a-backyard-look-inside.html>

"I never pictured myself living in a tiny home, but now I can’t imagine my life
without it.

(More...)

First cheetah cubs born in India since extinction 70 years ago

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:56:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65113651

'India has welcomed the birth of four cheetah cubs - more than 70 years after
the animals were declared officially extinct there.

(More...)

Biden Voids Trump-Era Deal to Open Alaskan Wildlife Area

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:57:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/nPwnT

"WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it was withdrawing a
land swap deal that would have helped to clear the way for construction of a
road through a wildlife refuge in Alaska. The move is a reversal of the

(More...)

Beavers to return to London as part of urban rewilding

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:58:25 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/21/beavers-to-return-to-london-as-part-of-urban-rewilding>

"Beavers will return to west London for the first time in 400 years after
receiving funding from the capital’s mayor, Sadiq Khan.

(More...)

Citizen-run conservation booms in South America, despite state neglect

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 21:59:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/citizen-run-conservation-booms-in-south-america-despite-state-neglect/>

"When Teresa Chang first saw the plot of land that now makes up the Amotape Dry
Forest Private Conservation Area in the Tumbes municipality of northern Peru,
she was horrified. It was 1997 and she was looking for a place near the sea to

(More...)

The untapped power of ocean winds – why New Zealand is looking offshore for future renewable energy

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 22:00:58 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-untapped-power-of-ocean-winds-why-new-zealand-is-looking-offshore-for-future-renewable-energy-202335>

"The latest synthesis report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) makes it clear we need to prepare for intensifying impacts, while
also cutting emissions dramatically.

(More...)

GPT4All: Running an Open-source ChatGPT Clone on Your Laptop

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 22:01:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://betterprogramming.pub/gpt4all-running-an-open-source-chatgpt-clone-on-your-laptop-71ebe8600c71>

"The events are unfolding rapidly, and new Large Language Models (LLM) are
being developed at an increasing pace. Just in the last months, we had the
disruptive ChatGPT and now GPT-4. To clarify the definitions, GPT stands for

(More...)

Put a finger down if you know this song: how TikTok music challenge memes build community

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 22:02:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/put-a-finger-down-if-you-know-this-song-how-tiktok-music-challenge-memes-build-community-201385>

"Spanish millennial users on TikTok claim they are not Spanish if they do not
know eight mythical songs from their country’s history.

(More...)

Everything advertised on social media is overpriced junk

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 22:06:22 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://doctorow.medium.com/everything-advertised-on-social-media-is-overpriced-junk-7cb46e3b03e4>

"In “Behavioral Advertising and Consumer Welfare: An Empirical Investigation,”
a trio of business researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Pamplin College
investigate the difference between the goods purchased through highly targeted

(More...)

Children Are Not Property: The idea that underlies the right-wing campaign for “parents’ rights.”

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:25:38 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/04/children-are-not-property.html

"“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not
depart from it,” the Book of Proverbs says. To certain right-wing Christians,
the concept is simple: A child can be broken, or stamped into shape, much like

(More...)

A ‘next-generation’ gamma-ray observatory is underway to probe the extreme Universe

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:26:20 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/a-next-generation-gamma-ray-observatory-is-underway-to-probe-the-extreme-universe-191772>

"Long gone are the days when astronomers only studied the skies with simple
optical telescopes. Today, unveiling the mysteries of the Universe involves
ever-larger and more complex facilities that detect things like gravitational

(More...)

Climate-stressed Iraq says will plant 5 million trees

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:27:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://phys.org/news/2023-03-climate-stressed-iraq-million-trees.html

'Iraq's prime minister on Sunday announced a campaign to combat the severe
impacts of climate change on the water-scarce country, including by planting
five million palms and trees.

(More...)

Mobile home park residents form co-ops to save their homes

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:28:51 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://apnews.com/article/mobile-homes-resident-cooperatives-affordable-housing-e17bbf20c49f79e181e0856fa69e59ba>

"PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — When Gadiel Galvez learned that the owner of his mobile
home park south of Seattle was looking to sell, he and other residents worried
their largely Latino community would be bulldozed to make way for another

(More...)

Uganda’s first wildlife vet on her revolutionary gorilla conservation

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:30:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/fbdfv

"WHEN Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka became Uganda’s first wildlife vet in 1995, there
were just 650 wild mountain gorillas in the world, 300 of which were in Bwindi
Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda. The species as a whole was

(More...)

Britain ‘not close to being a racially just society’, finds two-year research project

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:26:31 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/09/britain-not-close-to-being-a-racially-just-society-finds-two-year-research-project>

"More than a third of people from ethnic and religious minorities have
experienced racially motivated physical or verbal abuse, according to the
biggest and most comprehensive survey of race inequality in the UK for more

(More...)

Canada’s C$80B response to U.S. clean energy push: ‘We will not be left behind’

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:27:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/29/canada-u-s-clean-energy-ira-00089284>

"OTTAWA — The Canadian government has unveiled its answer to the Biden
administration’s Inflation Reduction Act with a federal budget that offers
billions of dollars for investment in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

(More...)

China Takes Its Climate Fight to the Rooftops

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:28:19 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/Ln8rH

"On the rooftop of his home beside green onion and wheat fields in China’s
Shaanxi province, Li Lifeng has installed dozens of solar panels that glisten
in the winter sun. For the past five years, he’s been among more than 2.4

(More...)

Exxon’s new ‘advanced recycling’ plant raises environmental concerns

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:29:09 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/10/exxon-advanced-recycling-plastic-environment>

"ExxonMobil just launched one of the largest chemical recycling plants in North
America – but environmental advocates say the technology is a dangerous
distraction from the need to reduce plastic production.

(More...)

US Electric Car Sales Increased 65% In 2022

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:30:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://cleantechnica.com/2023/02/25/us-electric-car-sales-increased-65-in-2022/>

"Tesla continues to dominate the US electric car sales market, which can make
it seem as though not much is changing here. However, the biggest story is
probably that the US electric car market as a whole continues to grow strongly.

(More...)

Game-Changing COVID-19 Nasal Vaccine Passes Initial Tests

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 22:30:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://scitechdaily.com/game-changing-covid-19-nasal-vaccine-passes-initial-tests/>

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, scientists have been exploring the development
of mucosal vaccines that can be delivered through the nasal route. Recently,
researchers in Berlin have successfully created a live attenuated vaccine for

(More...)

First Nations people have made a plea for ‘truth-telling’. By reckoning with its past, Australia can finally help improve our future

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 22:31:04 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/first-nations-people-have-made-a-plea-for-truth-telling-by-reckoning-with-its-past-australia-can-finally-help-improve-our-future-202137>

"Australia has never been good at listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people. Despite the truths that have already been told in processes
like the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody or the Inquiry into

(More...)

AMA president warns of ‘more illness, more loss of life’ from Covid as cases rise

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 22:32:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/10/ama-president-warns-of-more-illness-more-loss-of-life-from-covid-as-cases-rise>

"Covid-19 cases are expected to rise further across Australia after family
gatherings over the Easter long weekend, amid warnings of increasing pressure
on hospital staff and a possible new wave of infections.

(More...)

Why are the poor shunned? The reasons are complicated

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 22:33:33 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/why-are-the-poor-shunned-the-reasons-are-complicated-194808>

Review: Aporophobia: Why We Reject the Poor Instead of Helping Them – Adela
Cortina (Princeton University Press).

(More...)

German punk band ‘humiliated’ after being refused UK entry due to post-Brexit rules

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 22:35:00 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/10/german-punk-band-humiliated-after-being-refused-uk-entry-due-to-post-brexit-rules>

"A punk band from Germany say they were “humiliated” and “degraded” after being
refused entry to the UK for their British tour due to “opaque and confusing”
post-Brexit rule changes.

(More...)

Nature is in crisis. Here are 10 easy ways you can make a difference

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:35:10 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/nature-is-in-crisis-here-are-10-easy-ways-you-can-make-a-difference-202855>

"Last month, Sir David Attenborough called on United Kingdom residents to “go
wild once per week”. By this, he meant taking actions which help rather than
harm the natural world, such as planting wildflowers for bees and eating more

(More...)

‘Appallingly unethical’: why Australian universities are at breaking point

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:35:54 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/apr/10/appallingly-unethical-why-australian-universities-are-at-breaking-point>

"Universities are in crisis and the way teaching staff are being treated is
“appallingly unethical”, a senior academic from a leading university has told
Guardian Australia.

(More...)

Strikes, protests and collective action: how fighting a cost-of-living crisis wasn’t always about tightening your own belt

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:36:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/strikes-protests-and-collective-action-how-fighting-a-cost-of-living-crisis-wasnt-always-about-tightening-your-own-belt-203402>

"Most people today are coping with the rising cost of living individually: cost
cutting, looking for a better paid job, taking on “side hustles”, and so on.
But not so long ago, many workers globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand

(More...)

Someone’s Trying To Copyright A Rhythm

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:37:59 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/04/10/someones-trying-to-copyright-a-rhythm/>

"One of the most pernicious effects of today’s copyright maximalism is the idea
that every element of a creative work has to be owned by someone, and protected
against “unauthorized” – that is, unpaid – use by other artists. That goes

(More...)

New research shows how rapidly ice sheets can retreat – and what it could mean for Antarctic melting

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:38:44 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-how-rapidly-ice-sheets-can-retreat-and-what-it-could-mean-for-antarctic-melting-203277>

"The Antarctic Ice Sheet, which covers an area greater than the US and Mexico
combined, holds enough water to raise global sea level by more than 57 metres
if melted completely. This would flood hundreds of cities worldwide. And

(More...)

New Europe-wide campaign shows path to renewables-based power system by 2035

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:00:17 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://beyondfossilfuels.org/2023/03/28/new-europe-wide-campaign-shows-fossil-free-power-by-2035-is-within-reach/>

"BERLIN, 28 MARCH 2023 – Today, more than forty civil society organisations
from across Europe are embarking on a mission to ensure governments,
businesses, and financial institutions eliminate fossil fuels from the

(More...)

The first Asian screenwriter in Hollywood’s 1920s ‘dream factory,’ Winnifred Eaton, challenged its racism

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:04:23 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/the-first-asian-screenwriter-in-hollywoods-1920s-dream-factory-winnifred-eaton-challenged-its-racism-202292>

"A century before Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win an Oscar
for Best Actress, the daughter of a Chinese mother and a white English father,
Winnifred Eaton, was working behind the scenes in Hollywood.

(More...)

China ‘Colonizes’ Space with Its First Rice Harvest

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:06:01 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2023/03/china-colonizes-space-its-first-rice-harvest/384285/>

"“Once you grow crops somewhere, you have officially ‘colonized’ it.” This line
from the character Mark Watney captures one of the most important moments in
the story The Martian, when the stranded astronaut finally learns how to

(More...)

The Secret Programming Language Every 10x Programmer Recommends!

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:09:49 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://tabloid-thesephist.vercel.app/

"Tabloid is a turing-complete programming language for writing programs in the
style of clickbait news headlines.

(More...)

It Isn’t WebAssembly, But It Is Assembly In Your Browser

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:10:53 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://hackaday.com/2023/04/11/it-isnt-webassembly-but-it-is-assembly-in-your-browser/>

"You might think assembly language on a PC is passe. After all, we have a host
of efficient high-level languages and plenty of resources. But there are times
you want to use assembly for some reason. Even if you don’t, the art of writing

(More...)

BMW’s new factory doesn’t exist in real life, but it will still change the car industry

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:53:30 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/ofgkz

"Building a car factory is one of the most complex and expensive design
projects imaginable. The factory itself is a giant machine where thousands of
human workers, robots, and thingamajigs must move in a perfectly choreographed

(More...)

Income inequality surges as richest group gets more than 90 per cent of the gains, Australia Institute finds

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:55:26 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-12/inequality-on-steroids-as-rich-take-more-of-the-gains/102200878>

'Thomas Harmathy is doing fine. He's healthy, in his early 20s, living on his
own and working a hospitality job in the big city.

(More...)

Another COVID winter is coming. Is this the calm before another peak?

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:56:13 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/another-covid-winter-is-coming-is-this-the-calm-before-another-peak-203149>

"Australia is currently experiencing the longest break between infection peaks
since Omicron arrived in late 2021 and community-wide transmission took off.

(More...)

Company Serves World's First 'Mammoth' Meatball, But Nobody Is Allowed to Eat It

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:57:24 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.sciencealert.com/company-serves-worlds-first-mammoth-meatball-but-nobody-is-allowed-to-eat-it>

'Food scientists on Tuesday unveiled a giant meatball made from lab-grown flesh
of an extinct woolly mammoth, saying the protein from the past showed the way
for future foods.

(More...)

There’s a growing gap between countries advancing LGBTQ+ rights, and those going backwards

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:58:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/theres-a-growing-gap-between-countries-advancing-lgbtq-rights-and-those-going-backwards-203329>

"Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined 50,000
people to march in support of queer rights across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for
World Pride in early March. A week earlier, Albanese became the first sitting

(More...)

One of the Luckiest Lightning Strikes Ever Recorded

Mon, 1 May 2023 03:56:35 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://archive.md/oDREv

"Benjamin Franklin invented lightning rods in the 18th century, and the devices
have been protecting buildings and people from the destructive forces of
lightning ever since. But the details of how lightning rods function are still

(More...)

It’s Good That AI Tech Bros Are Thinking About What Could Go Wrong In The Distant Future, But Why Don’t They Talk About What’s Already Gone Wrong Today?

Mon, 1 May 2023 03:58:50 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/2023/04/11/its-good-that-ai-tech-bros-are-thinking-about-what-could-go-wrong-in-the-distant-future-but-why-dont-they-talk-about-whats-already-gone-wrong-today/>

"Just recently we had Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders on the Techdirt
podcast to discuss their very own podcast mini-series “Silicon Valley v.
Science Fiction.” Some of that discussion was about this spreading view in

(More...)

What Genius Looks Like

Mon, 1 May 2023 04:00:34 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
https://www.palladiummag.com/2023/03/02/what-genius-looks-like/

"In the year 2000, the Clay Institute of Mathematics selected seven
yet-unsolved “Millennium Prize” problems as the most important in mathematics,
offering a million-dollar cash prize for each correct solution. The first

(More...)

The Most Influential Sci-Fi Books of the Past 10 Years

Mon, 1 May 2023 04:01:56 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://bookriot.com/the-most-influential-sci-fi-books-of-the-past-10-years/>

"Are you ready to read some stellar science fiction? Well, then, you’re in
luck. I’ve pulled together a list of the most influential sci-fi books of the
past 10 years, and you’re going to want to add them all to your TBR.

(More...)

“Our hands are tied:” Australian councils call for tough fuel standards to drive EVs

Mon, 1 May 2023 04:03:16 +1000

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

Andrew Pam
<https://thedriven.io/2023/04/12/our-hands-are-tied-australian-councils-call-for-tough-fuel-standards-to-drive-evs/>

"More than 100 Australian mayors and councillors are calling on the federal
government to supercharge the country’s supply of affordable electric vehicles
by legislating strong fuel efficiency standards.

(More...)

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