These books are delightful! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of …

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » « Although written for children, I found these the “Amazon …

These books are delightful! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of …

Stronger Caribbean Together for Regional Food, Land, Sea and Climate Justice: A Manifesto – Petchary’s Blog

The Caribbean is small, and by nature fragmented, since it consists of scattered islands – some close together, others not – and countries on the South American and Central American mainlands. We speak several different languages – those of our colonial masters, indigenous languages, and different variations of creole and patois – and we have tremendous ethnic diversity. This is one of our strengths, I believe, that we have in common – as well as challenges. If only we could try harder, with those strengths meeting those challenges – together. There’s always strength in numbers.

Back in early July, I attended a workshop in Kingston organised by Stronger Caribbean Together, a network based at the University of the West Indies Mona campus and led by Professor Patricia Northover. To me, this group embodies the need to move ahead on critical issues that affect us all. There are local variations of course, but we are all in the same boat. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well at the workshop (it turned out that I had COVID, which we brought back from our travels) and had to leave early. It was a gathering of powerful voices from around the Caribbean – I dragged myself away reluctantly!

Coming out of the July 1 – 2 workshop (which ended just before the arrival of Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica), Stronger Caribbean Together has put together a mighty 2024 manifesto (see the link below). “Unity Against Disaster Capitalism” is one of its six pillars. Here is what they have to say about their Manifesto – plus a few photos from my archive.

I would urge you to browse through; it is laid out in simple format, broken down into a one- or two-sentence description of each strand (46 in total) in its six major focus areas. The emphasis is on community-led solutions in each case. While all six are interlocking, Democratic Governance and Just “Development” resonates with me. But, for heaven’s sake, when are we going to take the issue of not just food security, but food sovereignty, seriously? How much longer are we going to rest in this “condition of dependency”?

Island City Lab presents at the Disaster Capitalism Workshop, Courtleigh Hotel, Kingston on “The Cult of Development.”

I hope that this Manifesto will be widely read by governments and their agencies, as well as private sector organisations and civil society in general; because surely a “paradigm shift” is needed, and overdue. The threats are not going away and they are growing. We need solutions that make sense.

December 16, 2024

A network of farmers, activists, community members and academics focusing on Food, Land Sea and Climate Justice in the Caribbean have banded together and published a Manifesto: https://strongercaribbeantogether.org/2024-manifesto

The Stronger Caribbean Together’s mission is to empower local communities in their fight against the interconnected threats of climate change, disaster capitalism, and food insecurity through fostering knowledge, co-production, sharing effective grassroots responses, and providing legal advocacy and support.

We envision a resilient and self-sufficient Caribbean Region where local communities have the resources, knowledge, and solidarity to address the challenges posed by environmental changes, exploitative economic practices, and governance failures. Through our network, we strive to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, promote sustainable and equitable solutions, and create a digital space for transnational collaboration and learning.

The Manifesto supports these mandates through the tenets of: Food Sovereignty for Self-Determination and Decolonization; Intersectional Justice; Democratic Governance and Just ‘Development’; Unity Against Disaster Capitalism; Access to justice; and Reparations, Restoration, and Decolonization.

We believe this comprehensive document will prove to be a useful tool to the betterment of Caribbean nations as we strive towards a Stronger Caribbean Together.

For more information, contact:

Dahvia Hylton, Coordinator, Stronger Caribbean Together Network

+1 (876) 365-7860 diskincarib@gmail.com

Solidarity: Professor Patricia Northover joins a protest against deep sea mining in downtown Kingston earlier this year. (My photo)

Source: Stronger Caribbean Together for Regional Food, Land, Sea and Climate Justice: A Manifesto – Petchary’s Blog

New ethics inquiry details more trips by Clarence Thomas paid for by wealthy benefactors | Clarence Thomas | The Guardian

A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of supreme court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct.

Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in January, underscoring the hurdles in imposing restrictions on a separate branch of government even as public confidence in the court has fallen to record lows.

The 93-page report released on Saturday by the Democratic majority of the Senate judiciary committee found additional travel taken in 2021 by Thomas but not reported on his annual financial disclosure form: a private jet flight to New York’s Adirondacks in July and a jet and yacht trip to New York City sponsored by billionaire Harlan Crow in October, one of more than two dozen times detailed in the report that Thomas took luxury travel and gifts from wealthy benefactors…

Source: New ethics inquiry details more trips by Clarence Thomas paid for by wealthy benefactors | Clarence Thomas | The Guardian

Avian Flu Diary: Iowa Reports Their First Human H5 Infection

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As mentioned eighteen hours ago in CDC FluView Week #50: Seasonal Flu Rising – 3 Confirmed & 1 Probable H5 Cases For the Week, the CDC’s official H5 case count – which then stood at 61 – was likely to increase before the day was out.

A few hours later, California announced 2 more cases (n=36), and late yesterday, Iowa announced their first case (see statement below).

Iowa HHS Reports First Human Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Iowa, Risk Remains Very Low to Public

 

Friday, December 20, 2024
News Release

 

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) is reporting the first human case of avian influenza A(H5) in the state. The individual was exposed to infected poultry while working with a commercial flock in northwest Iowa. The individual reported mild symptoms, has received appropriate treatment and is recovering. The case was identified through testing at the State Hygienic Laboratory and confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

As of December 20, 2024, the CDC has reported 64 confirmed human cases of H5 HPAI across nine states. The majority of the exposures are linked to infected poultry or dairy cows. There is no evidence that human-to-human transmission of influenza A(H5) is occurring in the U.S…

Source: Avian Flu Diary: Iowa Reports Their First Human H5 Infection

Café Søster Lagkage in Viborg / … same in English – Stella, oh, Stella

same in English

Ich habe es versprochen, und hier kommen ein paar Bilder von dem gemütlichen Café im Stadtzentrum von Viborg, den Hügel hoch, gegenüber der alten Feuerwehr. Ich wollte diskret sein und habe daher die Theke nicht fotografiert, wo der Kuchen etc. stand, und ich wollte auch keine anderen Gäste mit auf den Bildern haben. In Europa muss man ja jetzt von jedem, der auf einem Bild ist, die Genehmigung einholen, dass man das Foto veröffentlichen darf. Ansonsten muss man das Gesicht übermalen oder verwischen, und das macht sich wirklich nicht gut auf Fotos.

… I have promised it, so here I give you just a few photos of the cosy café in Viborg’s city centre, up the hill, opposite the old fire brigade. I wanted to be discreet, so I have not taken photos of the counter with the cakes etc., and I didn’t want any of the other customers on them either. In Europe one has to get permission from everybody that one takes a photo of, if one is allowed to publish them. If not, the faces have to be painted over or diffuses, and that really ruins the photos.

Sonntags leider geschlossen
… Unfortunately, closed on Sundays

Im Cafë ist kein Tisch und kaum ein Stuhl der gleiche.
… No table and hardly a chair are the same in the café.

Ein grosser Vorteil in diesem Café ist, dass die Kuchenstücke klein sind, so dass man ohne schlechtes Gewissen zwei essen kann. Ausserdem stellen die Damen Schokoladen, Kekse und Knuspermüsli her. Sie backen ihr Brot und ihre Brötchen selber, und man kann daher auch Sandwiches bestellen.

… A great advantage of this café is that the pieces of cake are small, so that one can eat two without any bad conscience. Furthermore, the Ladies produce chocolates, biscuits (cookies) and granola. They bake their own bread and breadrolls, so that you can order sandwiches as well.

Ein neues Kunstwerk, gleich vor dem Café.

… A new work of art right in front of the café.

Søster Lagkage = Schwester Schichttorte
… Søster Lagkage = Sister Layercake

Source: Café Søster Lagkage in Viborg / … same in English – Stella, oh, Stella

L’armadillo rosa è a rischio di estinzione | le pagine dei nostri libri

L’armadillo rosa è un animale buffo,  sembra uscito da una fiaba ed è a rischio estinzione.

È  infatti scomparso il suo ambiente naturale, soprattutto le aree miti e temperate dell’Argentina ed inoltre  è spesso vittima del commercio illegale.

Questo piccolo mammifero di appena 15 cm non è però adatto alla vita da animale domestico e non sopravvive più di otto giorni alla cattività.

La sua corazza, costituita da placche ossee rosa pastello, gli ricopre il dorso, la testa, le gambe e la coda, mentre il resto del corpo è coperto da una morbida peluria chiara.

Ha una vista debole, ma un olfatto ben sviluppato. Con le sue zampe anteriori dotate di robusti artigli scava nel terreno per cibarsi ci termiti e formiche, che poi cattura con la sua lunga lingua vischiosa.

Le sue abitudini sono simili a quelle della talpa infatti, è un animale che esce dalle sue gallerie sotterranee solo al tramonto. Le sue uscite notturne sono facilmente individuabili, poiché lascia come orme due strette scie parallele.

La coda viene quasi sempre tenuta piegata al di sotto del ventre ma  durante lo scavo il clamidoforo la usa per puntellarsi alle pareti del tunnel.

Adopera le zampe anteriori per scavare e le zampe posteriori per rimuovere la sabbia e spostarla alle sue spalle.

Inoltre il posteriore piatto e corazzato funziona da saracinesca naturale che ostruisce il tunnel, impedendo ad eventuali predatori di entrare ed attaccare l’animale.

Source: L’armadillo rosa è a rischio di estinzione | le pagine dei nostri libri