alanjjohnstone
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collapsologist – a new word for me
Despite widespread fears, no peer-reviewed research finds that the breakdown of society or the collapse of civilization is likely, let alone inevitable. Scientists used to debunking myths from climate deniers say they must also fight off claims of collapse that hinge on distorted science.
Climate disasters could disrupt politics in some regions enough that “the glue that holds society together doesn’t work very well anymore,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences at the University of Princeton. “But that’s where we’re getting into the realm of things that are unpredictable.”
“We know that we won’t be fine, but there’s a lot of space between fine and doomed,” said Jacquelyn Gill, an associate professor of Paleoecology at the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute.
Biden’s new “American Families Plan”
It proposes $225 billion in funding to help parents pay for child care, free, universal preschool for three- and four-year olds and boost the pay of child care workers . Families would pay no more than 7% of their income on child care for children under 5, saving the average family $14,800 per year on child care expenses, $45 billion to provide free meals to millions more low-income children.
$109 billion for free community college regardless of income for two years,
It is to funded by raising the top marginal tax rate to 39.6 percent for the wealthiest Americans. It nearly doubles the tax on investment income – known as capital gains – for Americans who earn more than $1 million. The proposed infrastructure plan is funded by corporate tax.
No doubt this will please the progressives and the wealth re-distributionist supporters of Biden.
How much will get through the Republican opposition, we will see,
“…Tell Bristol University and the vice-chancellor that enough is enough, we’re not living in 1930s Germany, and they should deal with this problem and make sure the university is not a hostile environment to Jewish students,”
Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, “We need to start sacking people … ”
Professor David Miller of Bristol University accused of anti-semitism for saying, “The ‘Jewish student groups’ you refer to are political lobby groups overseen by the Union of Jewish Students, which is constitutionally bound to promoting Israel. There is a real question of abuse here — of Jewish students on British campuses being used as political pawns by a violent, racist foreign regime engaged in ethnic cleansing. The UJS’ lobbying for Israel is a threat to the safety of Arab and Muslim students as well as of Jewish students and indeed of all critics of Israel.”
He praised University College, London (UCL) for the decision of its Academic Board to recommend replacing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. He called the decision the “beginning of the fightback”.
He said: “No university should allow itself to be held hostage by the State of Israel’s campaign of censorship. Manufactured controversies around Judeophobia — such as in my case — are being used to silence criticism of Zionism and Israel. That is the purpose of the IHRA definition in practice. If Saudi Arabia was engaged in a similar censorship campaign on British campuses, we would laugh it out of the room.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/27/arizona-anti-abortion-bill-downs-syndrome
Arizona’s governor has signed anti-abortion bill that bans the procedure if the woman is seeking it solely because a fetus has a genetic abnormality.
In addition to the ban on abortions for genetic abnormalities and the “personhood” provision (confers all civil rights to unborn children), the bill bans mail delivery of abortion-inducing medication, allows the father or maternal grandparents of a fetus aborted because of a genetic issue to sue, and bans the spending of any state money toward organizations that provide abortion care. The measure also requires fetal remains to be buried or cremated, and it forbids state universities from providing abortion care.
New type of fish-farm
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56829129
Called “recirculating aquaculture systems”, or RAS for short, they control everything from the temperature, salinity and pH of the water, to its oxygen levels, artificial currents, lighting cycles, and removal of carbon dioxide and waste. The latter are filtered out, and treated water is reused. As it is a closed-loop system, the salmon are not exposed to seaborne diseases and parasites, so unlike sea-based farms, Atlantic Sapphire says its fish do not need to be treated with antibiotics or pesticides.
What could have been but wasn’t
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/coronavirus-future-fiction/
Maybe it is not too late to learn from
For me, this short story had echoes of Pieter Lawrence’s ‘Last Conflict’
Australia beats the war drums
One of Australia’s most senior security officials has said liberal democracies must brace for war amid elevated global tensions. Home Affairs Department Secretary Mike Pezzullo said the possibility of war was increasing.
And beefs up its military
Australia will spend A$747 million ($580 million) to upgrade four military bases in its north and expand war games with the United States, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will say on Wednesday. An airstrip in the Northern Territory will be lengthened to support larger aircraft, firing ranges overhauled and new training facilities set up for defence personnel and U.S. marines.
“Working with the United States, our allies and Indo-Pacific neighbours, we will continue to advance Australia’s interests by investing in the Australian Defence Force,” – Prime Minister Scott Morrison
The economic rivalry
No change
Biden promised to pressure the pharmaceutical industry on its prescription drug prices to the the government. Now he isn’t expected to include a measure aimed at lowering the price of prescription drugs in its coming antipoverty package
Naval confrontations with the US Navy
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/27/iran-us-warships-in-first-tense-mideast-encounter-in-a-year
