| Time |
Event |
| 1:18a |
|
| 1:18a |
Invasive species vs humans
Naturalists are breeding and releasing 11 species of Polynesian snails
that were extinct in the wild, killed by an
intrusive predator snail
that humans had brought,
hoping it would wipe out another invasive snail.
The technique of releasing an intrusive predator to control a pest
species has often backfired in this way.
Cane toads in Australia
are
a prominent example.
I wonder if robots could be programmed to efficiently find and kill
the two intrusive species of snails. It might be easy to distinguish
them from all the other species actually present in a given island,
making the robots reliable there even if they might not be reliable elsewhere.
Unlike intrusive life forms, robots are easy to prevent from becoming
a pest. They don't reproduce, and they need the help of humans to recharge.
|
| 1:18a |
|
| 1:18a |
China as peacemaker
China seems to be
serious about trying
to bring about a peace between Putin and Ukraine.
If China works on this patiently, it may eventually bring about a deal,
provided that the two sides can eventually agree on one. It would require
Putin to accept concessions which, at present, he is unwilling to accept.
But maybe with time he will change his mind somewhat.
|
| 1:18a |
|
| 1:18a |
GOP misusing "insurrection"
Republicans are trying to distract attention from their real insurrection
on Jan 6, 2021 by pretending that a few
peaceful protests were "insurrections"
and punishing its supporters as if that were true.
|
| 1:18a |
UN reaches judgement against US et al
*The UN working group on arbitrary detention has condemned the US for
imprisonment without trial
(not to mention torture) in Guantanamo prison.*
It called for release of prisoner Abu Zubaydah.
|
| 1:18a |
Republican pitfalls in budget negotiations
There is no such thing as "negotiating in good faith" for
the hostage-takers and terrorists of
the Republican Party.
|
| 10:16a |
Republicans' pitfalls in budget negotiations
There is no such thing as "negotiating in good faith" for
the hostage-takers and terrorists of
the Republican Party.
|
| 1:46p |
Homelessness: Finland vs Canada
*How Finland Virtually Ended Homelessness — and
We Can Too.*
"We" here refers to Canadians, but it should work for the US and other
countries. The crucial thing is to burn the idol of the Invisible Hand.
|
| 1:46p |
Dulles politicos wrote the book
In 1954, the CIA used
a fake news campaign to destabilize and
overthrow the elected government of Guatemala.
The careful design of that campaign has served as the model for many
other fake news campaigns, including the ones being used by Putin and
by the US right wing extremists today.
|
| 1:46p |
Wikipedia warns
Wikipedia warns
that the UK's proposed web censorship and age
verification requirements would cut off access to Wikipedia in the UK.
Bravo to Wikipedia for refusing to compromise with censorship and
tracking. However Ms Crompton-Reid made a grave conceptual error by
including Wikipedia in the category of businesses — "players" in a "market".
Wikipedia's virtue, what makes it morally important despite its
imperfections, is precisely that it is not
a business. It does not operate in a "market",
and it has a commitment to a goal beyond its own success.
The cynicism of "players" may resonate with a general vague
condemnation of business, which to some extent business in general
deserves; but it also tends to silence moral discussion about any
business's acts or practices. Even to raise the question of whether a
certain business, or a certain line of business, treats people
unjustly is more difficult with the "players" metaphor
sneering at it.
|
| 1:46p |
|
| 1:46p |
Gerrymandering legalized, NC
Republicans took control of the North Carolina Supreme Court
and voted to
permit arbitrary partisan gerrymandering
in that state. That will establish nondemocratic government in that state.
|
| 1:46p |
Protesters, beatings, NY
Activists occupied the entrance to
BlackRock headquarters
to protest
its pouring money into fossil fuels. Then New York City thugs vented
right-wing hatred on the protesters, with beatings.
|
| 2:01p |
Republicans' traps in budget negotiations
There is no such thing as "negotiating in good faith" for
the hostage-takers and terrorists of
the Republican Party.
|