Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Teslas account for 273 of nearly 400 US crashes involving driver-assist systems | US news | The Guardian

Ed Markey, a US senator from Massachusetts, said although the NHTSA data had limitations, it was not isolated evidence that Tesla has ignored regulations and putting the public in danger.

There have been “a never ending parade of reports” of Teslas on automated systems rolling through stop signs or braking for no reason, he said. NHTSA also is investigating Teslas that crash into parked emergency vehicles.

“As today’s data suggests, this contempt for auto safety laws has real-world consequences,” Markey said, urging NHTSA to take enforcement action.

NHTSA has used the data to seek a recall, open investigations and provide information for existing inquiries, officials said.

“This will help our investigators quickly identify potential defect trends that can emerge,” Cliff said. “These data will also help us identify crashes that we want to investigate and provide more information about how people in other vehicles interact with the vehicles.”

 

Source: Teslas account for 273 of nearly 400 US crashes involving driver-assist systems | US news | The Guardian

Dead Penguins Keep Washing Up on New Zealand’s Beaches. Here’s Why.

Experts believe the birds are starving to death as a result of global heating, as rising temperatures force the fish on which they feed down into cooler waters that are too deep for the penguins to reach.

2021 was New Zealand’s warmest year on record, according to an annual climate summary from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, with New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute adjunct senior research fellow Nathanael Melia telling Radio New Zealand in January that the waters surrounding the country “have been pulsing up to 3 [degrees celsius] recently, inexorably driving up our surface air temperatures.”

 

Source: Dead Penguins Keep Washing Up on New Zealand’s Beaches. Here’s Why.

FDA moves closer to authorizing COVID-19 shots for kids under 5 – Los Angeles Times

COVID-19 shots for U.S. infants, toddlers and preschoolers moved a step closer Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisors gave a thumbs-up to vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the littlest kids.

The outside experts voted unanimously that the benefits of the shots outweigh any risks for children under 5 — that’s roughly 18 million youngsters. They are the last age group in the U.S. without access to COVID-19 vaccines and many parents have been anxious to protect their young children.

If all the regulatory steps are cleared, the shots should be available next week.

“This is a long-awaited vaccine,” said one panel member, Dr. Jay Portnoy of Children’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. “There are so many parents who are absolutely desperate to get this vaccine and I think we owe it to them to give them a choice to have the vaccine if they want to.”

 

Source: FDA moves closer to authorizing COVID-19 shots for kids under 5 – Los Angeles Times

A Toothless, Useless, Waste of Time

Filosofa's Word

There are so damn many issues to claim our attention and concern today that it seems something important is always falling by the wayside.  There are some things, though, that we simply cannot afford to lose sight of – climate change, the threats to democracy, the ‘dumbing-down’ of education, the pandemic that is still a pandemic, and our massive gun problem.  Speaking of the gun crisis … I have looked at the ‘bi-partisan’ agreement in Congress and said, “pbthhhh … it has no teeth.”  In my book, it is even less than the very minimum I would expect or demand, were I in a position to make demands.  It is the Republican’s attempt to placate us, to shut us up, to brag that they took our concerns seriously, when they don’t at all.  Did you know that according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 59% favor curbing gun…

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Hundreds March in Chicago to Call Attention to Missing, Murdered Black Women

The National Crime Information Center found 90,000 Black women and girls were reported missing in 2020. Another 10,000 were reported missing in 2021. To call attention to the cases that have gone cold, local Chicago organizers worked with the families to create the “We Walk for Her” march. They marched for the fifth year Tuesday, per the Chicago Tribune. Hundreds of Black women, holding signs of their loved ones who have either gone missing or been killed, took to the streets of Bronzeville to demand action and answers. The family of Nancie Walker have been waiting 20 years to find her killer. She was 55 when she went missing and was found 60 days later dismembered in plastic bags along the highway.

Source: Hundreds March in Chicago to Call Attention to Missing, Murdered Black Women

Understanding India’s Central Media Accreditation Guidelines 2022 · Global Voices

A newly added clause that lays down the conditions for the suspension of accreditation has sparked fears of press censorship by the state. The clause states that a journalist’s accreditation can be withdrawn in case “they act in a manner that is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.” Among the other clauses, the journalist’s accreditation can also be suspended if they have been charged with serious cognizable offences.

Those opposing the rules point out that such vaguely defined clauses could jeopardise how journalists work, leaving them working at the behest of the state. The Editor’s Guild of India has asked the Centre to revoke the rules, especially since key stakeholders were not consulted. Questioning the broad grounds for suspension including “being charged with serious cognizable offence” and “defamation,” they say, “It is clear that these vague, arbitrary, and draconian clauses have been included with an intent to restrict any critical and investigative reporting of government affairs.” They also express concern regarding the conditionality of obtaining police verification for accreditation as it may be misused to stifle free speech. As an extension to the concerns listed by the Guild, it is imperative to note that it is not uncommon for journalists to be slapped with a First information report FIRs for violation of some criminal law, including anti-terror laws. Defamation is another tool used to silence critics and journalists. In India, media organisations file defamation cases against each other as well. If these guidelines continue, under which defamation is a criteria for withdrawal of accreditation, it may just solidify the existing will to file defamation cases against the media.

The Press Club of India (PCI), along with other prominent journalist groups, has taken several steps to pressure the Government. On February 11, the PCI sent a letter to the government expressing dissatisfaction with the guidelines. Following up, the club also started a signature campaign. On February 25, the PCI, the Editors Guild of India, and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) passed a resolution unanimously against the rules and sent a copy of the letter to the ministry. This document stated: “The Government has failed to clarify the logic and emergency behind this move, which has unnecessarily created the crisis between the government and media.”

 

Source: Understanding India’s Central Media Accreditation Guidelines 2022 · Global Voices

Anotaciones sobre mi padre

Santiago Galicia Rojon Serrallonga

SANTIAGO GALICIA ROJON SERRALLONGA

Derechos reservados conforme a la ley/ Copyright

Voló aviones de dos alas, montó un elefante, habitó las celdas y los espacios conventuales, participó en el desembarco de Normandía durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, tocó el violín, elaboró esculturas en madera y se entregó a la ciencia, a la investigación, para la creación de su invento; pero también formó una familia y amó a su esposa y a sus hijos. Así fue mi inolvidable padre.

Trabajó y sostuvo dignamente a su familia, a la que amó profundamente y por la que era capaz de entregar lo mejor de sí. Le preocupaba e interesaba educarnos integralmente, y a tal tarea dedicó gran parte de su existencia. Era un hombre incansable, educado, inteligente y sencillo.

Sabía que en el mundo coexisten amistades tejidas con madejas de falsedad, intereses y mentiras, y adversarios reales, capaces de actos ruines. No confiaba…

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Alltagsszenen in Myanmar

Senioren um die Welt

Schon bei meinem ersten Besuch vor mehr als 20 Jahren hat mich das Land Myanmar und seine Menschen in den Bann gezogen. Und das hat sich nicht geändert, mich fasziniert noch immer die Schönheit der Natur, die enormen Kunstschätze, die es dort gibt und vor allem der Charme der Menschen, denen ich begegnet bin. Mich beeindruckt ihre unumstößliche Glaubensstärke und ihr Lächeln, ihr Stolz und die stoische Ruhe, mit der sie die harte Kehrseite der Realität in ihrem Land seit so langer Zeit ertragen haben und noch immer ertragen.


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Rondhangende koekoeken

Alowieke

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Af en toe wat paren en verder een beetje rondhangen. Die vogels hebben zeeën van tijd.

Liever luisteren? Klik op de knop onderaan de tekst.

Do you want to listen to the ENGLISH translation? Click on the button under the text.

Mijn vriend leest mij elke dag voor uit de krant. Daar heb ik om gevraagd en hij doet het graag. Ik luister rustig het hele artikel uit. Maar vandaag niet. Terwijl hij leest hoor ik wat anders en het is de koekoek. Al weken hebben we een koekoek die almaar door roept. Dag en nacht. Soms is hij even stil. Als teveel andere vogels er doorheen roepen neemt hij de moeite niet. Het lijkt wel een ijdele vogel, eentje die graag solo zingt. Dat dacht ik. Een eenzame narcist. Maar nu luister ik vol verbazing. Want volgens mij hoor ik nog een koekoek. Een tweede! Zijn geluid…

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