Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Iran has for weeks been in the midst of an energy crisis. It may seem paradoxical given that it has some of the biggest oil and gas fields in the world. Some 70% of Iran’s electricity is generated by fossil gas. Power blackouts have inflicted billions of dollars of losses […]
Archives for January 2025
“Jewish Chronicle” under Fire over Article claiming Palestinian Solidarity is anti-Semitic
( Middle East Monitor ) – The Jewish Chronicle, Britain’s oldest Jewish community newspaper, has come under fire for publishing an article by controversial commentator Melanie Phillips which claims that any support for Palestinians amounts to anti-Semitism. Concerns have been raised over subsequent undisclosed edits to both the headline and content. The article, initially published […]
We need better ways of storing renewable electricity for later: ‘flow batteries’ can help
By Maria Skyllas-Kazacos, UNSW Sydney (The Conversation) – As more and more solar and wind energy enters Australia’s grid, we will need ways to store it for later. We can store electricity in several different ways, from pumped hydroelectric systems to large lithium-ion battery systems. We can also use flow batteries. These are a lesser-known […]
NOLA Attacker was a Vet who fought the War on Terror against Extremists before Breakdown
Ann Arbor – (Informed Comment) – I love New Orleans, and have been known to hit the jazz clubs on Bourbon Street into the wee hours myself. So what happened there is a gut punch, and I want to express my condolences to the families of the victims and to the community there for its […]
How will the new Syria handle its Greater Israel Problem?
By Muhammad Hussein | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – When Israel’s far-right extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich acknowledged in October his aim for a Jewish state that encompasses not only all of the Palestinian territories, but also extends to Syria, some speculated about how such a goal would be achieved. In Israel’s classic […]
First Nations Peoples are now Key to Australia’s clean Energy Revolution, after 65,000 Years of Caring for this Land
By Heidi Norman, UNSW Sydney (The Conversation) – Australia is on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation transformation, as our energy systems shift to clean, renewable forms of power. First Nations peoples, the original custodians of this land, must be central to – and benefit from – this transition. That is the key message of the […]
“Raise a Glass with Someone Pretty:” New Year’s Day in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – I am rewriting a previous essay here and adding some new translations. The world has seen a lot of misery this past year, I thought it might be nice to talk about poetry and rebirth today. In 2020, I brought out a new translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, […]
In 2025, let’s make it Game On – not Game Over – for our precious natural World
By Darcy Watchorn, Deakin University and Marissa Parrott, The University of Melbourne It’s just past midnight in the cool, ancient forests of Tasmania. We’ve spent a long day and night surveying endangered Tasmanian devils. All around, small animals scurry through bushes. A devil calls in the darkness. Microbats swoop and swirl as a spotted-tailed quoll […]
Jimmy Carter Told Trump How to Put America First, But Will He Do It?
( Code Pink ) – With President Jimmy Carter’s passing and Donald Trump about to return to the White House, it’s a good time to recall a phone conversation that Carter had with Trump during his first term. Carter’s advice would serve Trump well if he really wants to fulfill his campaign promise to Put […]
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