Saturday, March 12
A Pacific NATO
Bloomberg News
China warned the U.S. against trying to build what it called a Pacific version of NATO, while declaring that security disputes over Taiwan and Ukraine were “not comparable at all.”
Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his annual news briefing Monday that the “real goal” of the U.S.’s Indo-Pacific strategy was to form Asia’s answer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. China has often accused the U.S. of trying to form blocs to suppress its growth, a complaint that’s likely to attract greater attention after President Vladimir Putin cited similar grievances before his invasion of Ukraine.
“The perverse actions run counter to the common aspiration of the region for peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes,” Wang added. “They are doomed to fail.”
Complaints about U.S. efforts to strengthen its alliance network in Asia were among several points of contention raised by Wang in the almost two-hour briefing on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress in Beijing. The senior diplomat repeatedly alluded to the U.S. as the source of problems with countries around the globe and issued some of China’s most pointed warnings yet against calls to expand U.S. ties with Taiwan.
“This would not only push Taiwan into a precarious situation, but will also bring unbearable consequences for the U.S. side,” Wang said on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, later adding: “Taiwan will eventually return to the embrace of the motherland.” READ MORE...
Our Curious Experiencs
Imagine you are walking on warm sand, on a sunny summer’s day, holding hands with your partner. While perceiving this environment, your brain receives and needs to integrate a cascade of sensory information coming from both outside and inside your body: the warmth of the sand, the brightness of the sunlight, the salty smell of the air, the sound of your heart pounding in your chest, the warmth of your partner’s skin touching your hand.
We usually experience a ‘real me’ that is linked to the body and which lies at the core of all of our sensory experiences, emotions, memories, and thoughts. This ‘I’ or ‘me’ is somehow always there, even if only in the background – transparently, so to speak; and it is felt as being distinct from the world and other people (the sand and your partner, let’s say).
This sense of being a ‘real me’ connected with a real world ‘out there’ makes us feel present and immersed in the flow of our daily lives. But how exactly does this work?
In a seminal paper entitled ‘Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science’, Andy Clark1 proposed that the brain’s job is to predict whatever information is coming next based on the information perceived before.
Instead of being a passive sponge receiving information from inside and outside our bodies, the brain actively anticipates the world through the lens of past experiences. Whatever we have perceived and experienced before leaves traces, so to speak, in our nervous and perceptual systems. The brain uses these ‘traces’ prevailingly to spot danger.
This is why it’s so difficult to forget negative events: the brain wants to keep us out of trouble. Harmless information, like the colour of the doorknob at my hotel, will likely be treated as boring and erased from memory. However, the colour of the jacket on the thief that attacked me on the street stays with me. This is an important insight stressed by Clark and other researchers like Karl Friston2 and Jakob Hohwy. READ MORE...
China's Westworld
A museum in China has taken a page out of science fiction and is creating lifelike robots with veins in their legs and goosebumps on their skin.
The EX Future and Science Museum in the Chinese city of Dalian shows off advanced forms of robotic technology aimed at making robots as customizable and lifelike as possible.
According to a tour of the museum's research and design center published by the Chinese state-linked media channel CGTN, the technicians at the museum can scan features and limbs to create dynamic 3D robots.
In a clip posted on YouTube, a journalist has her facial features scanned to "customize an android of her own." Parts of her body are then 3D printed. The video shows her controlling the movements of a 3D printed robotic limb via a wearable glove.
"The skin is made of medical-grade bionic silicone, and the goosebumps on the skin, the veins on the feet, and the palm lines — they're all very realistic," the museum's vice president, Yang Jianguo, told CGTN. READ MORE...
Friday, March 11
An Overview of it All
It seems like to me that the Russian war in Ukraine is what is dominating the news cycles these days... and second to the war is gas prices and inflation... we have forgotten all about our illegal immigration problem and our drug problem...
Our media seem somewhat fickled in this area... only putting forth the news that is going to increase their ratings... and overlooking the news that is not going to do that...
Here in the Tennessee Valley we are getting ready for a blast of snow that truly demonstrates how March is a transition month between winter and spring. Curiously, while the snow will fall and may cover the roads and landscapes... it will not stay long because the temps are going to rise into the high 40's the next day.
Is that going to take my focus off of the other issues that are going on in the USA and around the world? NO...
While we are paying over $4/gallon for gas, it will not stop us from doing what we want or need to do... what will happen is that we will simply reduce money in other areas of our budget. It is annoying to have to do that, but it is what we have to do...
The wealthy people who control our society will not get hurt at all with inflation other than the value of their stock might reduce, lowing their net wealth... but, overall, they are never impacted like the general public.
In order to have economic growth that benefits the general public, we have to accept the fact that there will be an enormous amount of wealthy people... this is the tradeoff that we have been accepting for decades here in the USA - or at least since the end of WWII.
We all know that US Presidents come and go and that some of them are good and some are bad but none of them stay more than 8 years. The US Congress can help or stand against these Presidents as they pass laws and approve budgets. Our two parties have different views on how this country should be governed. Presently, the US is divided 50/50 between these two parties... so neither party currently has a mandate for governance.
Retirees will live about 20 years before they die for a variety of reasons... their retirement is either good or bad depending upon how much money they have saved and how much receive from their company's retirement package. Some retirees still have to work even if it is part-time.
WE MUST accept who we are or are not, what we have or don't have, and once that acceptance is accomplished we simply move on and live life as best as we can rather than bitching about what we don't have.
Watching the news each morning slants our views of life as it relates to us... and not necessarily to others... we regret what others may be going through and some of us might give money but that's it... our main focus is on OURSELVES...
My Biased Views
How did something like this happen?
Our educators have decided to teach to the tests rather than teach to learn and retain knowledge. Therefore, our students score high on certain tests because they have, in essence, memorized the answers but have not learned anything nor have they retained anything.
When they get into college with their high grades, they continue to memorize for the exams and continue to fail to learn or retain the knowledge that they need to...
Our once #! educational system is now just simply mediocre.
When I was teaching business students in college, I discovered quite unexpectedly that:
- Most students read at a 10th grade level
- Most students wrote at a 10th grade level
- Most students had no critical thinking skills
- Most students had no desire to drill down on subjects
- Most students had no teamworking skills
- Most students wanted to be told exactly what to know
- Most students wrote 1-2 sentence answers to essay questions that should have required a minimum of 100-150 words to demonstrate competent understanding of the concept
- Most students presentations skills were at a 10th grade level
What bothered me the most was that when students had to turn in a project or a written assignment they had no idea nor did they want to research it on their own, how to submit the docment as if they were submitting it to their employers. These papers were not typed. There was no title page. They did not know how to submit it in a MEMO format. There were spelling errors. Inappropriate sentence construction.
To make matters worse, these classes were composed of 3rd and 4th year students.
Granted... I wasn't teaching at an Ivy League University but I doubt Ivy League University graduates are going to come down to East TN to work... so, most of our employers will be relying on locally educated employees.
Global Concerns of Women at Davos - WEF
At the World Economic Forum’s virtual Davos Agenda Week back in January, some of the world’s highest-profile women leaders shared their thoughts on the biggest challenges facing us today – and how to tackle them.
As these thoughts came before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they don't reflect the new reality of the world's geopolitical challenges and all that they involve. You can read more about this on Agenda.
1. Rebuilding trust
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, “This year, like never before, trust is the most valuable currency when we speak about the state of the world. Trust in science and vaccines can make a difference between life and death.
Trust among countries can tilt the balance of international affairs towards cooperation instead of conflict. Trust in functioning societies based on the rule of law channels higher levels of long-term private investment, giving these societies an edge over competitors – and this trust is also essential to all of Europe’s main ambitions.” READ MORE...
Amazon Selling "Z" T-shirts
Online retail giant Amazon has provoked outrage after advertising Russian military-style 'Z' symbol clothing on its website.
Long-sleeved tops, phone accessories and military green T-shirts bearing the controversial symbol, which some have nicknamed 'Putin's swastika', were selling for prices ranging from £10 to £15.99.
The sign - a white Z inside a square box - is being used to signal support for Vladimir Putin's war and has been visible on Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.
Russia's defence ministry posted on Instagram late last week that the symbol came from the Russian За победу, which begins with a "Z" sound and means "for the victory".
The ads were swiftly removed on Tuesday morning and the Mirror has contacted Amazon for comment. It's not clear which manufacturer was selling the items, but Amazon had allowed the company a platform.
Labour has said businesses like billionaire Jeff Bezos' mega-retailer must "act responsibly" as the conflict tears apart lives in Europe.
Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, said: “These items are highly inappropriate and should never have been available in the first place.
"Amazon cannot on one hand decry the invasion of Ukraine and then profit from the misery the Russian army is inflicting on the other.
" Labour is resolute in our support for Ukraine and we encourage firms to act responsibly and do all they can do to support the Ukrainian people."
Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak will be investigated by the sport's governing body after he wore the 'Z' symbol after finishing third in the parallel bars at a competition in Qatar over the weekend. READ MORE...
Long-sleeved tops, phone accessories and military green T-shirts bearing the controversial symbol, which some have nicknamed 'Putin's swastika', were selling for prices ranging from £10 to £15.99.
The sign - a white Z inside a square box - is being used to signal support for Vladimir Putin's war and has been visible on Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.
Russia's defence ministry posted on Instagram late last week that the symbol came from the Russian За победу, which begins with a "Z" sound and means "for the victory".
The ads were swiftly removed on Tuesday morning and the Mirror has contacted Amazon for comment. It's not clear which manufacturer was selling the items, but Amazon had allowed the company a platform.
Labour has said businesses like billionaire Jeff Bezos' mega-retailer must "act responsibly" as the conflict tears apart lives in Europe.
Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, said: “These items are highly inappropriate and should never have been available in the first place.
"Amazon cannot on one hand decry the invasion of Ukraine and then profit from the misery the Russian army is inflicting on the other.
" Labour is resolute in our support for Ukraine and we encourage firms to act responsibly and do all they can do to support the Ukrainian people."
Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak will be investigated by the sport's governing body after he wore the 'Z' symbol after finishing third in the parallel bars at a competition in Qatar over the weekend. READ MORE...
Electric Cars - Prices Increase
As US gas prices hit record highs in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it seems like electric vehicles may not be a safe haven for those looking to save money.
That’s because Russia plays an important part in the production of the nickel that ends up in batteries used by many electric vehicles — a metal that’s rocketed up in price even faster than oil.
On February 25th, nickel was trading on the London Metal Exchange for around $24,000 a ton, according to The Wall Street Journal. By March 8th, it was trading at $80,000 (down from a peak of over $100,000), and the London Metal Exchange had suspended trading.
On February 25th, nickel was trading on the London Metal Exchange for around $24,000 a ton, according to The Wall Street Journal. By March 8th, it was trading at $80,000 (down from a peak of over $100,000), and the London Metal Exchange had suspended trading.
There are a few reasons for the massive uptick in price — because it’s 2022, there are financial shenanigans involved, but it’s also impossible for the market to ignore the fact that an important nickel producer is at war and facing a flurry of international sanctions.
When it comes to mining nickel, Russia isn’t a massive player. According to the WSJ, the country supplies up to 6 percent of the world’s nickel. (For context, that puts it a distant third behind Indonesia and the Philippines, according to a datasheet from the US Geological Survey (pdf).)
When it comes to mining nickel, Russia isn’t a massive player. According to the WSJ, the country supplies up to 6 percent of the world’s nickel. (For context, that puts it a distant third behind Indonesia and the Philippines, according to a datasheet from the US Geological Survey (pdf).)
But Russia’s role in producing the battery-grade nickel used in EVs is a different story — in a Twitter thread breaking down the issue, the CEO of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence says 20 percent of that supply comes from a single Russian company. READ MORE...
Thursday, March 10
Off The Cuff
Here I am this morning, sitting on the couch in my own living room, in my debt-free home watching FOX News when I keep hearing about the bullshit that's going on in Ukraine and I cannot believe that this damn country is not going over there and kicking ass when they are so willing to let illegal immigrants cross our borders without any consequences...
I mean... how many times are we going to look stupid to the rest of the world?
And... do you really think Vladimir Putin wants to put his small country into a THIRD WORLD WAR?
And... do you really think China wants to get into a third world war either?
North Korea, is so chicken-shit that they would jump into a third world war in a heartbeat... I was going to say in a New York minute but I don't think much of that city anymore...
America is the greatest country in the world and yet all we really seem to care about is CRT, being WOKE, removing statues, defunding the police, and reminding the white race that their ancestors owned slaves...
They need to get over it... just like they want us to get over fossil fuels and buy these expensive damn electric cars and sit on our FAT ASSES while we wait for those frigging things to recharge...
Get real people!!!
Off My Rocker...
It is no wonder that we are no longer a proud people but have become an arrogant people and think that we are better than everyone else because we have more of this and that. When in reality we are poorer than we realize or willing to admit...
As an animal lover, I currently am the owner of three cats, all male, one siamese and two yellow. Each one is uniquely different and special. All three of them have acquired some sort of health issue and will probably not live much over the 12 years that they have already lived. Taking care of cats has taught me: patience and understanding and respect for their different abilities with trying to speak to me that years earlier would have left me frustrated and anxious.
This empathy and compassion bleeds over into the relationship that I have with my wife or my spouse or my partner whichever way suits your understanding. Of course, it could also be age and no longer willing to argue that has changed me just as much... still, I prefer to believe that it is the cats that are responsible for my personality change.
Cats like to take naps and actually spend most of their day or a good portion of it anyway, sleeping. I am not sure why but that's what they do. They are private individuals and hardly ever need human attention but when they do, cats can be very loving. But, the one thing that has impressed me the most is that, in time, cats do not hold grudges which is something I have yet to accomplish.
Femicide
Gulsum Kav, founder of We Will Stop Femicide
Femicide - the killing of women and girls because of their gender - is the most extreme form of gender-based violence, but in many countries no record is kept of the number of cases. BBC 100 Women spoke to three women who carry out detective work to identify femicides, and obtain justice for victims.
Gulsum Kav began a campaign to stop femicide in 2010, the year after the dead body of a teenager, Munevver Karabulut, was found in a bin in Istanbul. It took police more than six months to track down the suspect, leading to protests on the streets of Istanbul.
One of Gulsum's goals was to understand how many murders take place Turkey, in which the killer's motive is gender-related.
Another was to provide support to Munevver's family as the case came to trial. "We have a slogan today, 'You will never walk alone,' which came from this," she says.
But soon Gulsum and her fellow activists in We Will Stop Femicide found themselves taking on the role of investigators.
"It started when a letter arrived from a family who believed their daughter had died in suspicious circumstances," she says.
This was the case of Esin Gunes, a young teacher whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Siirt province, south-eastern Turkey, in August 2010.
What is femicide?
Esin's husband said they had gone to the area for a walk and a picnic, and she had slipped to her death. While the authorities initially accepted this story, the family didn't, as Esin had only recently returned to her husband after walking out and saying she wanted a divorce.
Gulsum's team commissioned a report which proved it was not physically possible to fall in the way she did and that she must have been thrown. This led to her husband's conviction for murder, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Gulsum Kav began a campaign to stop femicide in 2010, the year after the dead body of a teenager, Munevver Karabulut, was found in a bin in Istanbul. It took police more than six months to track down the suspect, leading to protests on the streets of Istanbul.
One of Gulsum's goals was to understand how many murders take place Turkey, in which the killer's motive is gender-related.
Another was to provide support to Munevver's family as the case came to trial. "We have a slogan today, 'You will never walk alone,' which came from this," she says.
But soon Gulsum and her fellow activists in We Will Stop Femicide found themselves taking on the role of investigators.
"It started when a letter arrived from a family who believed their daughter had died in suspicious circumstances," she says.
This was the case of Esin Gunes, a young teacher whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Siirt province, south-eastern Turkey, in August 2010.
What is femicide?
- Femicide is defined as "the murder of women because they are women" or "the gender-related killing of women and girls"
- Eighteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have adopted specific laws making femicide a criminal offence
- In many other countries the word is not widely used, but is increasingly being adopted by campaigners against gender-based violence
Gulsum's team commissioned a report which proved it was not physically possible to fall in the way she did and that she must have been thrown. This led to her husband's conviction for murder, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Since that first case, the team has worked on over 30 suspected femicides. READ MORE...
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