Short Takes – 8-19-23

Invasive firestarter: How non-native grasses turned Hawaii into a tinderbox. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “The problem isn't confined to Hawaii. Over in the mainland United States, "the deserts of the West and the conifer forests, and then the shrub lands in the coastal zone, invasive grasses are here to stay, they're now part of the ecosystem," said D'Antonio.”

Before Joining Federal Safety Program, Freight Railroads Push to Change It. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: ““The position that the freight railroads have taken is both unfortunate and unwise,” Mr. Mathews said. “If they truly want a safer system, then punishment and discipline cannot be the only tool in your toolbox.”” Railroads want to kill non-retaliation provisions.

Putin Profits Off US, European Reliance on Russian Nuclear Fuel. VOANews.com article. Pull quote: “The dependence on Russian nuclear products — used mostly to fuel civilian reactors — leaves the U.S. and its allies open to energy shortages if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to cut off supplies. The challenge is likely to grow more intense as those nations seek to boost production of emissions-free electricity to combat climate change.”

China’s dangerous secrets. ASOIStrategist.org.au commentary. Pull quote: “There’s no reason to expect China to abandon its rule-breaking, its debt-based coercion or its other malign activities anytime soon. Chinese President Xi Jinping—who has strengthened the CCP’s control over information, cutting off outside analysts’ access even to economic data—is now on track to hold power for life, and remains eager to reshape the international order to China’s benefit.”

Donald Trump Is Likely to Try to Move Georgia Case to Federal Court. It Could Work. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “In Georgia, Trump would gain a jury pool with a slightly more pro-Trump voting record by moving the trial to federal court. The Fulton County jury pool largely draws from the heavily Democratic city of Atlanta, while the federal jury pool would likely draw from 10 counties that make up the metro Atlanta area.”

Should the West Fear Putin’s Fall? WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “As a historical matter, revolutions in Russia have usually been triggered by military setbacks: losing a war against Japan in 1905, huge casualties during World War I, and the failure to secure Afghanistan in the 1980s, which was one of the factors that precipitated the Soviet Union’s dissolution.”

Tennessee [zinc] Refinery Could Break Chinese Chokehold on Two Critical Minerals. VOANews.com article. Pull quote: “Colorado-based mineral economist David Hammond told VOA he thinks the company’s timeline for the construction’s completion of two to two and a half years is realistic and, like Ecclestone, he believes the United States should be willing to shoulder the added cost of establishing domestic sources for critical minerals such as gallium and germanium.”

Virtual city prepares students for future of cybersecurity. Arizona.edu article. Pull quote: ““We built a synthetic world that looks and feels exactly like the internet, without being on the internet,” Denno said. “We have over 100 different companies, as well as five fully operational social media sites and two online news agencies like CNN and Fox News. Living in this virtual city are virtual personas that do everything normal humans do: They email each other, browse the web, conduct transactions in stores, maintain bank accounts, leave social media posts and comment on news stories.””

 

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