Brutkey

Emeritus Prof Christopher May
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us
His rationale for this stark pronouncement was that conquering Siberia would be much less risky and far more geo-economically rewarding for China than going after Taiwan. On top of direct access to Siberia’s vast fossil fuel and mineral reserves, the uniquely deep freshwater reservoir of Lake Baikal offers the answer to China’s chronic and worsening water scarcity problem. As Lonergan also points out, the weakening of Russia’s military muscle from its crippling war against Ukraine may also influence Xi’s calculus. His prediction disregards the nuclear balance of terror between China and Russia, but even so it remains an outcome that cannot be excluded. It will become an even greater risk for the Kremlin if Putin’s hubris leads him to open a full-scale war against Europe and Nato. Putin and Xi seem to cherish their illiberal “partnership with no limits”, and most analysts expect China to simply slowly profit from Russia’s self-harming conduct. But the prospect of Siberian riches may one day tempt China to strike Russia in the back. 18c1b068fca86036.png Marked decline in formal language learning A-levels entries (index, 2004=100) Shows all A-level growing to 117 from benchmark, while All Modern Foreign Languages has dropped to 75, French to 50 & German to 40... but Spanish has shown significant growth to 140 4f6f9391b1f89c60.png A Disabled by Society graphic titled “12 things to remember about self-identifying” with colorful illustrations next to each point. The points are: It’s an individual’s choice – person in wheelchair waving. There is no wrong answer – a parent walking with their child who is wearing blade on their leg. And no right answer – a person of short statue playing basketball. Stop correcting people – woman in hijab standing confidently with a walking aid. Language varies across regions – person painting with no upper limbs, using their mouth to hold their paintbrush and paint. Social factors can influence – person with a prosthetic hand pouring a cuppa. Or personal feelings – two friends signing at a café. A person might change language – man watering plants whilst using his cane. And that’s perfectly fine – person walking a guide dog. It’s their lived experience – woman with a prosthetic arm walking confidently. Their right to self-identify – person at a laptop smiling with coffee. Let the individual choose – elderly person with a walker standing proudly. 2cb5ba3c8eca7954.jpeg Abstract photo of a paving slab with two diagonal fault lines & some weathering, looking (a bit) like a colourfield abstract painting.... too pretentious??? 9695357fa9865f9d.jpg As you know I was disappointed that you voted in support of the proscription of Palestine Action. The proscription under the Terrorism Act has now been used to arrest over 600 peaceful demonstrators in the last couple of weeks, including over 400 in London yesterday. This is not a good use of scarce police time & effort, nor it seems to me an appropriate use of legislation intended to be used against terrorists & their enablers, not peaceful protestors. As my MP I am requesting that you contact Yvette Cooper to convey that this is both anti-democratic & is bringing the government into disrepute. e1f30c57fa84a32d.png As you know I was disappointed that you voted in support of the proscription of Palestine Action. The proscription under the Terrorism Act has now been used to arrest over 600 peaceful demonstrators in the last couple of weeks, including over 400 in London yesterday. This is not a good use of scarce police time & effort, nor it seems to me an appropriate use of legislation intended to be used against terrorists & their enablers, not peaceful protestors. As my MP I am requesting that you contact Yvette Cooper to convey that this is both anti-democratic & is bringing the government into disrepute. e1f30c57fa84a32d.png Arguments for the tech sector’s special legal treatment are ultimately built on a paradox. Policymakers are told that any attempt to curb a technology’s harms would stifle innovation but they are also told that legal barriers are futile because progress is inevitable. It is time we demand that the tech sector comply with the same laws as everyone else. Only when technology businesses compete on a level legal playing field will we see how inevitable their innovations really are. 6cbc38c6699c885c.png