The John James Newsletter 146
12 November 2016
The ice caps don’t negotiate, and neither do rising seas
Khalid Pitts
If you were born yesterday, with no knowledge of the past, you might easily accept whatever the government tells you. But knowing a bit of history might lead you to ask questions, and its then more likely that you would find the truth
Howard Zinn
Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half
Gore Vidal
Air pollution has been described by the WHO as a public health emergency, yet it’s treated in most countries as an afterthought
George Monbiot
Like we weren’t feeling bereft enough, Leonard Cohen has died at 82
After decades of writing, touring and praise, his final album last month was titled, “You Want It Darker.” Now it is. Trump is president and Leonard is dead. “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRYjtvIYK0
The Arctic ice pack is packing in
Arctic sea ice regrowth this winter is truly horrible, with 13 metre waves breaking up what thin fragile ice remains. We are heading to zero sea ice. With two must-see videos.
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/less-sea-ice-warmer-arctic-ocean.html
To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
In light of your tendency to propose uncivilized people for public office who masquerade as the leader of the world, and thus your tendency to elect completely incompetent Presidents who then want to rule the world when you cannot govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories except Arkansas, which she does not fancy and will confine the Clintons to its borders to spare the rest of the world from their shenanigans including their pretend charity that launders money for their escapades
Your smartphone security is a civil rights issue
The smartphone you use reflects more than just personal taste … it could determine how closely you can be tracked. Privacy expert Christopher Soghoian shows the glaring difference between the encryption used on Apple and Android devices and urges us to pay attention to a growing digital security divide. “If the only people who can protect themselves from the gaze of the government are the rich,” he says, “that’s a problem.”
http://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_soghoian_your_smartphone_is_a_civil_rights_issue
There’s a La Nina Developing — So Why is the World Still Heating Up?
By themselves, these abnormally high temperatures at the poles would be odd enough. But when taking into account that La Nina should still be cooling the globe, it starts to look like this severe polar warming has jostled the La Nina cooling signal, turning it back toward warming by late fall. And if that is what’s really happening, then it would imply that the natural variability signal that is produced by El Nino is starting to be over-ridden by polar amplification based influences.
Putin: “Do you realize what you have done?”
Since the end of World War 2, the US has (with links to sources):
Attempted to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments, most of which were democratically-elected.
Dropped bombs on the people of more than 30 countries.
Attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.
Attempted to suppress a populist or nationalist movement in 20 countries.
Grossly interfered in democratic elections in at least 30 countries.
More involved in the practice of torture than any other country in the world
https://williamblum.org/aer/read/146
The Paris Deal Dooms the Planet to Climate Change Chaos
Environmental organizations and activists continue to slam the agreement for doing too little too late and dooming the world to climate chaos, here are five things you should know about the COP21 climate deal.
Harsh Criticism of False Climate Solutions
The world’s largest social movement blasted world leaders Monday for promoting “false solutions” to the global environmental crisis and disguising ongoing crimes against humanity as a commitment to climate action as the COP22 world climate meeting kicked off in Marrakech, Morocco, on the heels of last year’s Paris summit.
and
https://corporateeurope.org/pressreleases/2015/12/activists-call-out-false-climate-solutions-paris
Game Over? Warming Is Still Underestimated
Researchers say “business as usual” could actually put planet on track for 4.78°C to 7.36°C rise by 2100. Because the climate has “substantially higher sensitivity” to greenhouse gases during warm phases, within the 21st century, global mean temperatures will very likely exceed maximum levels for the last 784,000 years.
Sources of world energy
http://www.solarcarandtractor.com/solarcarandtractor/index.html
Ultra-efficient air-con retrofit wins Australian Tech Comp
technology re-uses air-conditioning waste-water to produce ultra-efficient cooling. In its six years of operation, the Australian Technologies Competition has identified more than $250 million dollars in contestable project opportunities for Australian SMEs.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/ultra-efficient-air-con-retrofit-wins-australian-tech-comp-72175/
US military hackers have penetrated Russia’s electric grid,
US hacks into the computer infrastructure of adversary nations such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea is akin to the kind of military scouting that is as old as human conflict.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-hackers-ready-hit-back-if-russia-disrupts-election-n677936
If You Think Racism Won Donald Trump The Election, You’ve Missed The Point… Again
Watch his final two minute ad. If you put aside the quiet anti-Semitism, and the reference to illegal immigration, it mostly sounds like a left-wing attack on the super-rich. The political establishment doesn’t care about people like you, they destroyed our jobs and sent them to foreign countries, putting our wealth into the hands of a handful large corporations and political entities. Only we can stop them. The framework is clear, the rhetoric is stirring, and the message is seductive.
for the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vST61W4bGm8
Why Trump Won; Why Clinton Lost
For all his faults, Trump was one of the few major public figures who dared challenge the “group thinks” on the current hot spots of Syria and Russia. In response, Clinton and many Democrats chose to engage in a crude McCarthyism with Clinton even baiting Trump as Vladimir Putin’s “puppet” during the final presidential debate. It is somewhat remarkable that those tactics failed; that Trump talked about cooperation with Russia, rather than confrontation, and won.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-trump-won-why-clinton-lost/5556188
What History Teaches Us About Demagogues Like The Donald
Demagogues have been a problem for democracy for 25 centuries, at least since the populist Cleon persuaded his fellow Athenians to slaughter every man in the city of Mytilene as punishment for a failed revolt.
http://time.com/4375262/history-demagogues-donald-trump/
Europe’s Far-Right Emboldened by Trump’s Triumph
Europe right wing says that Trump’s staggering victory gives them hope for their own causes.
Trump’s 7 Most Dangerous Campaign Promises
Donald Trump made hundreds of promises on the campaign trail, usually vague, often changing, but nonetheless terrifying. As the US and the world wake up to the reality of a Trump presidency we review some of his most dangerous pledges.
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Trumps-7-Most-Dangerous-Campaign-Promises-20161109-0002.html
US General says we plan on “governing Raqqa” after takeover, and set up safe zones to train Al Qaeda
The end goal…to keep the war in Syria alive, and keep the diminishing hopes of overthrowing Assad in play, irregardless of the inevitable fact that the legitimate government in Damascus will soon control the major urban western hubs of the fractured nation.
Are US allies in Southeast Asia defecting to China?
Malaysia and the Philippines’ rapprochement with China is the result of realignment of interests.
Marijuana legalised
California, the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago, was among five states weighing whether to go beyond medical use and permit pot for adults for recreational purposes. The other states were Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada. With California “yes” vote, recreational cannabis will be legal along the entire West Coast, giving the legalization movement powerful momentum.
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/216285833-story
How battery storage can cut home electricity bills by one quarter
The combination of PV+battery+grid is $123 per year cheaper than the cheapest grid-only offer ($1,645 per year) and $449 lower than the median grid-only offer. In other words, our typical 4,800 kWh household can beat all contemporary grid-only offers by installing a PV+battery system and selecting the best retail offer to provide their residual grid consumption and to export their PV production surplus.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/battery-storage-can-cut-home-electricity-bills-one-quarter-73736/
How Trump could be a win for battery storage – and renewables
Tthe incumbent energy oligarchs have no reason for complacency or satisfaction” from Donald Trump’s win in the US. They are more exposed to disruption than ever.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/how-trump-could-be-a-win-for-battery-storage-and-renewables-60872/
Chinese Kids Want to Believe in America, but We’re Not Making It Easy for Them
China has had a loving, and long-running, sibling rivalry with the United States — until Donald Trump barged in.
How Israel Is Gradually Privatising Its Occupation of Palestine
With the Middle East aflame, and Israel selling itself as an island of stability amid a region in conflict, there are few compelling reasons why the Jewish state won’t continue to market itself as a model in how to manage unwanted populations, with private companies the beneficiaries of this policy. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and the colonization is increasing. Without massive international pressure, it’s impossible to see how the outsourced occupation won’t become a permanent nightmare.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/how-israel-is-gradually-privatising-its-occupation-of-palestine/5554217