Stephan: I agree with this article and am surprised it is not more openly discussed. Of course, the military-industrial complex uses the illusion that Russia is a superpower to justify billions and billions of dollars of profit. But the truth is Russia is a nation of 145 million people where the average annual income is, in U.S.dollar terms, less than $9,000. The country is run by Putin as a kleptocratic oligarchy.
When was the last time you saw someone buy a Russian refrigerator? Or an automobile? Or a smartphone? Or a... anything? The Russian economy is entirely based on petroleum and gas, and some raw materials, and as we move out of the carbon era, the Russian economy is going to collapse, and Russia will revert to what it actually is, a second-tier developing nation.
The only reason anyone sees Russia as a major power is because of their nuclear weapons. But Putin is not going to get into a nuclear war because it would turn Russia into another Syria.
Vladimir Putin
Former FBI deputy director for counterintelligence Frank Figliuzzi explained Wednesday that there is so much Russian hacking because it’s the only power they have.
“This is about as close as you’re going to get to state-sponsored terrorism in the cyber world,” Figliuzzi explained to MSNBC’s Ali Velshi. “The code in the ransomware attacks is written so it will never attack Russian targets. That seems to be Putin telling these organizations, ‘I’m going to give you license to operate. Just don’t ever let this unleash on one of our companies or one of our agencies.’ That’s essentially state sponsorship. That’s why you’ll see our entire U.S. intelligence community directed even at these criminal organizations because they’re so closely tied to the Russian government. They present a national security concern for the United States.”
Velshi asked what Putin’s end-game is in all of the ransomware attacks. Unlike in normal terrorism, there’s money to be gained, but that’s about it.
“Well, first, let’s remember, Putin simply wants to sow discord and chaos and undermine our democracy,” Figliuzzi said. “We’ve seen that in election […]
, - Government of the United Kingdom -- : Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith
Stephan: This actually happened a couple of months ago, and I was just never able to fit it in. It is important I think because it is an example of the changing way in which we are viewing other lifeforms. Little by little as a culture, the trend is to recognize that all life is interconnected and interdependent, and that is good news, even if this is early days for this trend.
Government introduces Bill to formally recognise animals as sentient beings
Animal Sentience Committee will put animal sentience at heart of government policy
Vertebrate animals will be recognised as sentient beings for the first time in UK law thanks to the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, introduced in Parliament today.
The legislation will also ensure that animal sentience is taken into account when developing policy across Government through the creation of a Animal Sentience Committee which will be made up of animal experts from within the field.
By enshrining sentience in domestic law in this way, any new legislation will have to take into account the fact that animals can experience feelings such as pain or joy. The Bill will underpin the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, which launched yesterday and sets out the government’s plans to improve standards and eradicate cruel practices for animals both domestically and internationally.
The Bill’s introduction, fulfilling a key Manifesto commitment, will further the UK’s position as a world-leader on animal welfare. Now […]
Stephan: I have been telling you that it seemed apparent that Trump deliberately implanted his orcs, like time bombs, in the lower levels of the federal government. We have seen reports about this coming out of the DOJ, and the EPA, but is apparently even worse than that. I think Trump imagined himself becoming the American Hitler, we know he read his speeches again and again and admired him. What I don't think anyone realized,is how truly loathsome Trump is, and how if he couldn't lead America, he wanted it destroyed.
What I don't understand is why the leadership of the Democratic Party isn't holding Trump and his people accountable? Why they are being such wooshes?
Neo-Nazis TrumpersCredit: Screen cap via the David Pakman Show
Toward the end of his one term in office, former President Donald Trump appointed several loyalists to key positions within defense and intelligence agencies — and some of them alarmed Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
An explosive new excerpt published in the Wall Street Journal of a new book by reporter Michael C. Bender claims that Milley was so worried about some of the appointees that he “asked some Pentagon officials whether the new hires had ties to neo-Nazi groups.”
The excerpt does not list which hires Milley was concerned had ties to Nazi groups.
One particularly controversial hire at the time was retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Tata, a conspiracy theorist who called former President Barack Obama a “Muslim” and a “terrorist leader.”
Other hires included Trump loyalists Kash Patel and Ezra Cohen-Watnick, both of whom had very limited experience in military and intelligence matters.
Stephan: Schwartz's Theorem of Wellbeing postulates that social policies that foster wellbeing are always easier to implement, more efficient, more productive, longer-lasting, less violent, and much much cheaper. Over the years I have posted numerous examples of this theorem in action, but this is a particularly compelling example of the principle.
Iceland
The country of Iceland has released the analysis of its 4-day work week experiment and the results speak for themselves.
The trials run by Reykjavík City Council and the national government took place from 2015 to 2019 and included about 1% of Iceland’s working population, making it the world’s largest shortened workweek trial to date. The findings show that paying people the same amount to work fewer hours per week results in a happier, healthier workforce with similar or increased productivity. Who knew?
Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, a UK think tank that co-conducted a study of the trials, said in a statement: “This study shows that the world’s largest-ever trial of a shorter working week in the public sector was by all measures an overwhelming success. It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks—and lessons can be learned for other governments.”
So what are those lessons we can learn?
1) There’s nothing magical about a 40-hour workweek.
Most of the workers in the trial reduced their hours […]
Stephan: I am beginning to see a new approach to agriculture arise, and this one, which also involves solar power, is a particularly interesting example of this emerging trend.
Minnesota sheep solar farm
Global renewables company Enel Green Power has installed 16 solar farms across Minnesota, but their arrays look a little different than others you find across the US. Instead of bare earth or gravel beneath the panels, you can find pollinator-friendly plants and grazing sheep.
Recognizing the importance of protecting pollinators, Minnesota has set the standard for pollinator-friendly vegetation at solar sites. Their sites feature pollinator-friendly grasses, sedges, and wildflowers for bees, butterflies, and other insects to seek refuge in. The state passed legislation 2016 designating what qualifies as pollinator-friendly plants to prevent greenwashing and encourage more green energy companies to green up their operations even further.
Laura Lukens, the monitoring coordinator for the Monarch Joint Venture, has been tracking the efficacy of Enel’s planting initiatives. She reports monarch breeding at every single solar site she visits, but it’s not just the insects that benefit from the plants. The vegetation improves solar output by cooling the panels and helps rejuvenate the soil on site. The sheep serve to naturally turn over the earth […]
