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 at glasswings.com.au. Subscribe at https://glasswings.com.au/subscribe.html

‘Half my day’s pay goes to filling up my car now’: diesel crisis ripples across Britain

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:50:25 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/sep/21/diesel-global-supply-shortage-record-prices-iran-war-energy-crisis-brent-crude>

"The smoke rising from the Kapotnya oil refinery to the south-east of Moscow
marks one of Ukraine’s biggest air raids on the Russian capital since the start
of the war, and the latest salvo in an energy crisis that threatens to affect

Why most health apps are biased even before their first lines of code are written

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:49:34 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/why-most-health-apps-are-biased-even-before-their-first-lines-of-code-are-written-286261>

"Many of us use digital health tools every day, such as period trackers,
fitness apps or online quizzes to check our mental health.

‘Jaw-dropping’ El Niño bursts through temperature record months before peak

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:48:51 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/21/super-el-nino-temperature-record>

"The “jaw-dropping” El Niño currently heating up the planet has burst through
the highest temperature ever recorded for the phenomenon, several months before
its expected peak.

What happens to language when machines start talking back?

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:47:57 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/what-happens-to-language-when-machines-start-talking-back-293554>

"A few months ago, a friend posted something that caught my eye on social
media. She struggled listening to what she termed “(literally) breathless AI
voices for audiobooks”.

Cost of “preposterous” fracked gas pipeline could balloon to $10 billion, locking in higher bills for decades

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:47:18 +1100

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

<https://reneweconomy.com.au/cost-of-preposterous-fracked-gas-pipeline-could-balloon-to-10-billion-locking-in-higher-bills-for-decades-report-warns/>

"Plans to build a 1,561 km gas pipeline from the Norther Territory’s Beetaloo
Basin to south-east Queensland could cost as much as $9.74 billion, a new
report has found, adding huge costs to a heavily polluting project.

The migration debate has a big blind spot: much of regional Australia is shrinking

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 19:46:32 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/the-migration-debate-has-a-big-blind-spot-much-of-regional-australia-is-shrinking-293692>

"Migration policy is emerging as one of this year’s defining political
battlegrounds. The Albanese government, Coalition and One Nation have all
committed to reducing net overseas migration.

Gas lobby bid to halt home electrification falls flat as Labor says it will stay the course

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 04:55:29 +1100

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

<https://reneweconomy.com.au/gas-lobby-bid-to-halt-home-electrification-falls-flat-as-labor-says-it-will-stay-the-course/>

"Victorian Labor says it has no plans to water down or pause a regulated
phaseout of gas from homes and businesses in the state, after a leaked document
revealed that one of Australia’s largest gas infrastructure businesses is

Colonisation, not climate change, first primed these forests to burn

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 04:54:25 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/colonisation-not-climate-change-first-primed-these-forests-to-burn-292997>

"Bushfire season is here. The Bureau of Meteorology expects the declared El
Niño to be strong to very strong. Southeastern Australia is bracing for a long
run of dangerous fire weather.

Australia can gain more from eliminating diesel than enabling AI

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 04:53:44 +1100

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

<https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-can-win-more-from-eliminating-diesel-than-enabling-ai/>

"I am a great supporter of building data centres in Australia fuelled by
renewable energy and located in the regions.

Can data centre company Firmus live up to its blockbuster $43 billion listing value? Why some investors doubt it

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 04:52:21 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/can-data-centre-company-firmus-live-up-to-its-blockbuster-43-billion-listing-value-why-some-investors-doubt-it-293532>

"Firmus Technologies, a developer of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres,
plans to raise A$7 billion from investors on the Australian Securities Exchange
on October 23.