Glass Wings Blog

The Glass Wings mailing list and blog is for general idle chit-chat about things we find interesting, especially humor, animation or other subjects relevant to the Glass Wings web site.

Booktopia, Australia’s biggest online bookseller, is poised for collapse. That doesn’t mean bookshops are in trouble

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:39:27 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/booktopia-australias-biggest-online-bookseller-is-poised-for-collapse-that-doesnt-mean-bookshops-are-in-trouble-233975>

"At its height, Australia’s largest online bookseller, Booktopia, had a A$2.4
million turnover, 5 million customers, and sold a book “every 3.9 seconds”.
This week, it entered voluntary administration, a month after announcing the

Old matter, new purpose as Australian students help Polestar in quest for net-zero cars

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:38:13 +1000

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

<https://thedriven.io/2024/07/04/old-matter-new-purpose-as-australian-students-help-polestar-in-quest-for-net-zero-cars/>

"Turning sawdust into concrete and reusing steel from old buildings are among
the environmentally friendly ideas explored by university students in a project
with an electric vehicle maker.

HIV breakthrough: drug trial shows injection twice a year is 100% effective against infection

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:37:09 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/hiv-breakthrough-drug-trial-shows-injection-twice-a-year-is-100-effective-against-infection-233295>

"A large clinical trial in South Africa and Uganda has shown that a
twice-yearly injection of a new pre-exposure prophylaxis drug gives young women
total protection from HIV infection.

‘Once-in-a-lifetime event’: rare chance to see explosion on dwarf star 3,000 light years away

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:36:11 +1000

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/05/t-coronae-borealis-blaze-star-dwarf-australia-how-to-see-nasa-usyd>

"In what is being called a “once-in-a-lifetime event”, light from a
thermonuclear explosion on a star has been travelling towards Earth for
thousands of years and it will be here any day.

Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification, Category 5 winds so early in a season were alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:35:10 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/hurricane-beryls-rapid-intensification-category-5-winds-so-early-in-a-season-were-alarming-heres-why-more-tropical-storms-are-exploding-in-strength-233780>

"Hurricane Beryl was the latest Atlantic storm to rapidly intensify, growing
quickly from a tropical storm into the strongest June hurricane on record in
the Atlantic. It hit the Grenadine Islands with 150 mph winds and a destructive

AI could revolutionise environmental planning – if we don’t get trapped in the ‘iron cage of rationality’

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:34:05 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/ai-could-revolutionise-environmental-planning-if-we-dont-get-trapped-in-the-iron-cage-of-rationality-232583>

"Increasingly low-cost environmental sensors coupled with AI-powered analytical
tools dangle the promise of faster and more insightful environmental planning.

Letters from an American: July 4, 2024

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:57:52 +1000

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

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-4-2024

"Monday, July 1, was a busy day. That morning the Supreme Court handed down a
decision in Donald J. Trump v. United States that gives the president
absolute immunity for committing crimes while engaging in official acts. On the

Why YIMBYs, NIMBYs, BIMBYs and YIGBYs all matter for democracy and our future cities

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:55:06 +1000

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

<https://theconversation.com/why-yimbys-nimbys-bimbys-and-yigbys-all-matter-for-democracy-and-our-future-cities-230877>

"The right of everyone to have a say on development is at the heart of modern
urban planning. But as homes become ever more expensive, questions are being
asked about whether it is OK to oppose housing developments in cities.

Lo Manh Hung: The Story of South Vietnam's Youngest Photo Journalist, 1968

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:54:09 +1000

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

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/lo-manh-hung-young-photographer/

"At a time when most children were running from the chaos, a small figure with
a camera around his neck was running towards it.

Why We Should Embrace Mistakes in School

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 18:52:56 +1000

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

<https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_we_should_embrace_mistakes_in_school>

"When my daughter was a toddler, I regularly spilled milk in front of her
during meal time. “Oops, oh well, no big deal, let’s clean it up!!” I would say
in my high-pitched, goofy mom voice.