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.

Australia improves on global corruption rankings, but there is still work to be done

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:51:27 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/australia-improves-on-global-corruption-rankings-but-there-is-still-work-to-be-done-249458>

"Australia has turned the corner on its decade-long slide on Transparency
International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), once again ranking
in the top ten least corrupt countries in the world. The fresh ranking comes

Zelenskyy: Europe cannot guarantee Ukraine’s security without America

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:49:53 +1100

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

<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/11/zelenskyy-europe-cannot-guarantee-ukraines-security-without-america>

"If Donald Trump withdraws US support for Ukraine, Europe alone will be unable
to fill the gap, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned, on the eve of what could be
his most consequential diplomatic trip since Russia’s full-scale invasion three

As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:48:42 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358>

"Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary
international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into
a multipolar one with many centres of power.

America’s unfolding cybersecurity catastrophe

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:47:42 +1100

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

<https://medium.com/@violetblue/americas-unfolding-cybersecurity-catastrophe-22ac481cdb9c>

"The ongoing incursions into America’s sensitive and critical federal
government databases, networks, financial systems, and code repositories are
likely the most significant breach of a nation state’s cyber sovereignty in

The List of Trump’s Forbidden Words That Will Get Your Paper Flagged at NSF

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:45:18 +1100

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

<https://gizmodo.com/the-list-of-trumps-forbidden-words-that-will-get-your-paper-flagged-at-nsf-2000559661>

"Every federal agency in the U.S. is currently trying to figure out how to
purge forbidden words from documents posted online, in a desperate attempt to
comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to purge “DEI” from every

Violet Blue's "Threat Model - Cybersecurity": February 11, 2025

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:44:04 +1100

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

https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-11-122018129

"This week: The US continues its cyber self-sabotage, UK gov’t demands Apple
make them a backdoor, the NSA will purge content for banned words (including
cybersecurity terms like “privilege”), Booz Allen (former Edward Snowden

Where should we look for new metals that are critical for green energy technology? Volcanoes may point the way

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:32:59 +1100

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

<https://theconversation.com/where-should-we-look-for-new-metals-that-are-critical-for-green-energy-technology-volcanoes-may-point-the-way-248659>

"About 400 kilometres northwest of Sydney, just south of Dubbo, lies a large
and interesting body of rock formed around 215 million years ago by erupting
volcanoes.

Alert: H5N1 and U.S. Sickness Levels

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:32:09 +1100

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

https://www.patreon.com/posts/alert-h5n1-and-u-121989095

"This an out-of-band alert to brief everyone on sickness levels and
hospitalizations in the United States in the absence of communication,
coordination, or monitoring from federal health agencies. I would say the U.S.

Edinburgh Zoo welcomes baby capybaras for first time in 15 years

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:31:27 +1100

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

<https://news.stv.tv/east-central/edinburgh-zoo-welcomes-baby-capybaras-for-first-time-in-15-years>

"Two baby capybaras have arrived at Edinburgh Zoo, marking the first time the
zoo has had the species in 15 years.

Anti-renewable billboard ad pulled under pressure from industry

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:30:07 +1100

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

<https://reneweconomy.com.au/anti-renewable-billboard-ad-pulled-under-pressure-from-industry/>

"A blatantly false anti-renewable advertisement funded by the right wing ginger
group Advance has been pulled from a billboard near Newcastle, but
environmental activists are calling for tighter rules governing “out of home”