#France Technology Latest

[sammysam999]

Yeah, we probably should all be worried about this, because the eu parliament didn't push back against stuff like this hard enough before, after the elections they certainly won't change that. If the representatives in the eu council after the next national elections end up reflecting similar growths for the far right and center right we might be fucked even if the european court keeps pushing back.

This is also basically just a continuation of the ongoing discussion concerning chat control.

For those unaware: Officially proposed as law to fight and prevent csam and grooming under the name of Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, however in practice it demands profound undermining of end-to-end encryption, basically opening door to never known mass surveillance. It asks for scanning of every data uploaded, proposing the use of for example client side scanning and to scan for known csam - originally it was supposed to scan also for new material, but the justified fear of false-positives caused the mitigation to scan only for known material and "grooming", after long discussions if "new technologies" couldn't solve the problem of both, the life-destroying issue of false positive and the undermining of end-to-end encryption (spoiler: If a law must hope that speculative technology that doesn't yet exist and might never exist will solve it's problems you know it's a shit law that tries to find the technological sledgehammer to solve problems that are better solved in different ways. And whoever supports such a law should be looked at with suspicion, concerning either their competences or their motivations). The latest compromise proposed that instead of scanning everything it should only scan video and pictures... with users getting asked to agree to this or to just not being able to use those parts of a service. The major countries that blocked the chat control in EU council where by now Germany and France (though France already is showing cracks in its resistance, which is bad). There also is the position of the judicial branch of the EU which clearly positions the law as not reconcilable with current EU laws. For now the law is on hold, mostly because parliament (which agrees with the law) and council (which holds against it) can't come to an agreement and we now had eu parliament elections.

Honestly if you guys are worried about KOSA, you also should be worried about this. It's certain that the pressure to implement further means of mass surveillance is growing and that politicians will try to spin it positively (by linking the measurements to heavy topics like csam, even if most organizations working on prevention see the lack of proportionality, doubt the usefulness and criticize the potential of abuse behind such extrem disfranchisement of civil rights).

[channeledhistory]

The highly controversial indiscriminate child sexual abuse regulation (so-called chat control) could still be endorsed by EU governments after all, as France could give up its previous veto. This is reported by Euractiv and confirmed by internal documents. France considers the new “upload moderation” proposal in principle as a viable option. According to the latest draft regulation dated 28 May (Council document 9093/24), which is presented as “upload moderation”, users of apps and services with chat functions are to be asked whether they accept the indiscriminate and error-prone scanning and possibly reporting of their privately shared images, photos and videos. Previously unknown images and videos are also to be scrutinised using “artificial intelligence” technology. If a user refuses the scanning, they would be blocked from sending or receiving images, photos, videos and links (Article 10). End-to-end encrypted services such as Whatsapp or Signal would have to implement the automated searches “prior to transmission” of a message (so-called client-side scanning, Article 10a). The initially proposed scanning of text messages for indications of grooming, which is hardly being used to date, is to be scrapped, as is the scanning of voice communication, which has never been done before. Probably as a concession to France, the chats of employees of security authorities and the military are also to be exempted from chat control.

During the last discussion on 24 May, the Council Legal Service made it clear that indiscriminate chat control scanning of non-suspects is still envisioned and remains a violation of fundamental rights. Nevertheless, most EU governments are determined to go ahead. EU governments plan to continue their discussions on June 4th. “The Belgian proposal means that the essence of the EU Commission’s extreme and unprecedented initial chat control proposal would be implemented unchanged,” warns MEP and most prominent opponent of chat control Patrick Breyer (Pirate Party). “Using messenger services purely for texting is not an option in the 21st century. And removing excesses that aren’t being used in practice anyway is a sham. Millions of private chats and private photos of innocent citizens are to be searched using unreliable technology and then leaked without the affected chat users being even remotely connected to child sexual abuse – this would destroy our digital privacy of correspondence. Our nude photos and family photos would end up with strangers in whose hands they do not belong and with whom they are not safe. Despite lip service being paid to encryption, client-side scanning would undermine previously secure end-to-end encryption in order to turn our smartphones into spies – this would destroy secure encryption. [...]

[absolutebl]

Hello! In the latest EP of I Feel You Linger in the Air, Yai addresses Jom as Por Jom. Jom seems surprised but I have no understanding of what Por means so it's significance is lost on me. Perhaps you can help shed some light? Also, how was Yai addressing Jom before?

Por/phor honorific in Thai - I Feel You Linger in the Air

I'm glad you asked it so I don't have to.

I have not encountered it before in BL.

Any of the the Thai language spies still out there wanna weigh in?

I did some poking around - but I could be way off base. Still this what I discovered:

Por is a paternal honorific, luang por is used for respected monks.

So I am assuming this use is relatively old fashioned (the reason we don't hear it often in our normal BL) and either one step more intimate or, more likely, one step more respectful than no honorific. Possibly scholarly?

I'm thinking all this has to do with Jom's demonstration of education. Yai has figured out that one of the reasons Jom doesn't belong and cannot fit in with the servants is that he is more educated than a peasant, which adds up to him being originally from a high status and wealthy family, especially speaking English and having travelled (he has a non-Chang Mai accent).

There is very little Thai middle class at the beginning of the 1920s since trade is being dominated/dictated by the West, or Chinese merchant operations, and Siam is a monarchy. So for a nationalize Thai citizen it's either military, landed gentry with trade operations (like Yai), military, or... none of the above. This changes, especially in the south, throughout this decade (as it did in other parts of the world). So there is a rising bourgeoisie going on in the background but it's not that obvious in Chang Mai at this time.

What this means to Yai is that Jom's family either got wiped out or politically entirely disenfranchised possibly as part of the 1912 attempted coups (or even WWI)? This would be mystifying for Yai because Jom doesn't act like he comes from a military family at all. So his background and status is very confusing for Yai, but Yai does know one thing...

Jom is NOT lower class by the standards of Yai's temporal worldview and existence.

For a young man to be educated and yet entirely alone is very dangerous and suspicious. Also, let's be clear, Jom doesn't look or act like a laborer. He red flags "cultured" all over the place.

Yai is paternalistic and caring towards Jom out the gate because Yai has a big ol'crush but also because he recognizes "his own" is trying to survive while isolated and scared. Yai wants to rescue Jom.

Some Historical Context for I Feel You Linger In The Air

I love history and so here's some quick info that any Thai watcher would likely know, but you might not... ready?

Remember:

Burma (Myanmar) to the west is occupied by the British.

The French hold Vietnam to the east.

Everyone is bickering over what would become Cambodia & Laos.

China occasionally gets involved from the North (also, lots of immigrants from China at this time accounting for a large percentage of the merchant/middle class)

Eventually, Japan would invade during WWII.

In part, The Kingdom of Siam was kept a "neutral" party because none of the surrounding colonial powers wanted to risk offending any of the other players in the area.

Siam re-negotiated sovereignty in 1920 (from USA) and 1925 (France & Britain). But during the time of this show (mid to late 1920s) it was back to it's customary type-rope balancing act of extreme diplomacy with the allied western colonial powers that surrounded it. Recognizing that Thailand was never colonized, it's boarders were constantly nibbled at and it was "ambassador-occupied" off and on by Westerners whose military backing and exploitive business concerns simply outmatched the monarchy, especially in the technology department (as well as by reputation on the global stage at the time).

In other words, the farang in this show (James & Robert) are bound to be both the baddies and the power players of the narrative.

The king of Siam at the time (Vajiravudh AKA Rama VI) was initially somewhat popular but also regarded as overly extravagant since Siam was hit by a major postwar recession in 1919. It should be noted that King Vajiravudh had no son because he was most likely gay (which at the time did not much concern Siamese popular opinion, EXCEPT THAT it undermined the stability of the monarchy).

He "died suddenly" in 1925 (age 44) with the monarchy weakened and succession handed off to his younger brother.

In 1932 a small circle of the rising bourgeoisie (all of whom had studied in Europe, mostly Paris), supported by some military, seized power from the monarchy in a practically nonviolent Siamese Revolution installing a constitutional monarchy.

Siam would then go through: dictatorship, WWII, Japanese invasion, Allied occupation, democratic elections, military junta, the Indochina wars, communist insurgency, more democracy and popularization movements, multiple coups, more junta, more monarchy, eventually leading us to the somewhat chaotic insanity of Thai politics we have today. (Which is, frankly, a mix of monarchy, junta, democracy, egocentric popularism, and bribery.)

(source)

[silicacid]

Dirty secret of Israel’s weapons exports: They’re tested on Palestinians

Weapons tested in each war Israel wages see a spike in global demand. The current Gaza war is the latest laboratory for its arms industry.

India – Israel’s largest military buyer, which operates more than 100 Israeli-made UAVs – purchased 34 Heron drones in this period, followed by France (24), Brazil (14) and Australia (10), according to a 2014 report by Drone Wars UK.

Colombia is one of an estimated 130 countries that have bought weapons, drones and cyberspying technology from Israel, the world’s 10th-largest weapons exporter.

A report from Amnesty International in 2019 noted that the whole process by which Israel sells arms is shrouded in secrecy “with no documentation of sales, one cannot know when [these arms] were sold, by which company, how many and so on”.

Amnesty found that “Israeli companies exported weapons which reached their destination after a series of transactions, thereby skirting international monitoring”.

Israel has not ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits the sale of weapons at risk of being used in genocide and crimes against humanity. As such, its weapons exports have influenced the course of history for several nations, many led by controversial regimes.

[athanasius-symposium-of-writings]

Green Carnation

Chapter Two

I want to say how happy I am to see a lot of ppl like this fic. I will say it was a bit personal to write this and had to even talk to my friend about the subjects of this fic that it touches. So I want to thank them for helping me and also tell you all: you are very loved <3

Again pls read the warning and keep yourself safe

Rated: Explicit | Warnings: open relationship, there is gender play/crossdressing in this chapter. Norton calls the reader 'Mrs. Campbell' as they/he cannot marry him during this time but it all plays into a fantasy and is not said in a way of demeaning but in a way of affection.

Chapter One

The molly house, a speakeasy your wife took you to, is full of high society types. Here you found out a lot about yourself. Your wife, you love her to pieces, was supportive the whole way.

The place is not popular in the sense not many people travel this far to go here for there are others. The rustic charm and the memories of your friend keep you here.

You think about him, your friend and lover, he was a good man. Older and loved talking about his work with technology. The subject is sore for you and you come to the conclusion maybe you would never find a man like him; you won't but something new is not so bad.

Norton is at the check-in desk getting the large suitcase, holding a surprise, a quick search. You went ahead inside to see if your wife was still watching the burlesque show. Her lover, a woman you find pleasant, is sitting next to her. She points you out to your wife. 

You smile glad to see them both. Her lover waves at you before going back to watch the show.

She kisses you for a few seconds with her arms around your neck, “I thought you weren't coming.” Pulling back. She is beautiful, always beautiful, wearing the latest dress from France. Your wife is from very old money thus your father had your marriage arranged for social climbing. Lucky you, she likes you— Loves you.

“Sorry, got uh…” Rubbing the back of your neck awkwardly.

Norton comes up behind you with a neutral expression for your wife, “Fancy seeing you.” The suitcase is no longer with him, “They're getting us a room.” He informs you.

Your wife is confused and looks ready to also protect you. “It's okay. He asked to come here.” You say with a smile for her to know you are truly okay.

“And you trust him?”

Norton frowns, “I used to work in a place like this. The alcohol is just as cheap there as it is here.” His hand slipping around your waist tugging you close to him, “I intend to fuck your husband.”

Your wife looks at you then him then you and back to him, “Seriously?” Given she knew about your attraction to Norton the moment you came home covered in bruises, “Listen, we are discussing this later.” Shaking her head she lowers her voice, “You break my husband, I break you, Campbell.” She is very serious as she glares at him then softens her gaze toward you. “I'll be here.” Kissing you again before returning to her lover.

“I thought you two weren't in love.” The Prospector is very confused.

You laugh a bit, “We are in love. She has a lover and I was fine with only her but the option was always available for me to seek another.”

Norton will not pretend to understand that.

For a bit you both hang out at the bar, drinking a bit, mostly chatting. The bartender informs you both the private room is ready, and you take the key. Norton follows your lead.

“The rooms are over here.”

Small rooms with beds and simple bathrooms are places for those to indulge with partners or paid companionship. They are always clean and can have certain amenities added or changed.

It takes a minute to find the room; once you do, opening and closing the door, Norton sits on the bed next to the suitcase. “Go on.” Gesturing for you to take the thing with you, “In there, and don't come out until you are all dolled up.” Pointing to the closed bathroom door. The smirk on his face broadcasts how pleased he is as your cheeks burn hotter than any fire right now.

You are uh, you have not been with another man after your friend’s death, never felt right. He was everything you wanted to be, inspired to be, and yet you were content not to be. He showed you things and was slow and patient with you, never will find that again you figured. 

Norton does not move slow; he moves fast and trusts his gut on things most of the time. And tonight his gut was right.

The wedding dress you wear, after going into the bathroom and preparing yourself, is comfortable for your size and body type. It is the same one you were looking at with your wife while talking to her about renewing your vows. Norton was only there because he needed a party suit.

“This is embarrassing.” The makeup is a touch you added without him saying anything. Your wife adores you with lipstick, the rouge kind, it makes your smile pop. Norton sits there with his legs open and leaning back with his hands holding him up. Admiring, though you can feel him undressing you.

“Mrs. Campbell.” He says, “You look nice.”

“Nice? Do you understand the fight I was having with this zipper!? I better be more than nice.” Annoyed.

“Alright, alright,” Standing up with his hands up in defense, “How about ravishing, hm? Want me to praise my good boy for following my instructions, or,” He grins at the way he can tower over you, “Should I take my wife on our wedding night and make him feel everything I have been holding back, hm?”

There is something you like… Something about being in a role you are never going to have. You are a man, a husband, the breadwinner. There are things in this society you will never have nor be granted even if you held all the money in the world. You must dominate, must be strong, you must be everything society demands of you.

Your father was forgiving of your tastes so long as you were discreet; your wife helped you… Help you find this place where you can be how you want.

The bed is comfortable but you find yourself backed against a wall with Norton under the wedding dress.

“Hard already? Lace really does wonders to a man.”

You try not to moan, try not to seem touch starved for another man's touch, but you moan. Hands gripping and pressing down on the front of your dress. The dress is not a problem rubbing against the right spots as Norton’s callous hand grips your legs. Comparing both your bodies, you must feel like a doll to him. You are trying hard not to cum as his tongue and lips are hot against your cock, the barrier of the lace panties rubbing and your hard cock twitching with arousal.

“Don’t you dare cum.”

 “God, please.”

“Not God, me. Beg for me.” His bitemarks littered all over your inner thighs, “Making a mess down here.” Precum weeping out of your cock onto the underwear. His mouth takes the tip while his tongue cleans your mess.

“Shit, sorry, sorry!” It is too late and cum into Norton’s mouth, legs wobbling until they give out.

“Tsk, spoiled brat. I told you not to cum.” When you fall to the floor, now on your back, he slips from under your dress, licking his lips as lay there covering your eyes with both hands, “That good?” He crawls over to see you, moving your hands off your face. He looks worried. “(Name)...”

Crying, “Yes. Sorry, it's been… A long time.” It is unexpectedly emotional. You apologize again only for lips and a salty taste to blank your mind. His body is heavy, his colon the one you mentioned once how it smells nice, and his hand everywhere.

You once knew what it was like to be treasured, now you know what it is like to be possessed.

Norton Campbell is greedy, he touches you, consumes you; you writhe under him as lifts the dress to properly open you up. The oil he uses makes you feel warm and sensitive, “Suggested.”

“By who?” Out of breath.

“A friend.” Not only a friend, Norton hates the man but that novelist bastard has his uses.

“Good… Ah… Friend!” He found that sweet spot quickly, “Norton, Norton!” Legs shaking as you feel the ache of another release.

“This time you better hold back.”

You do, it is difficult but you do it with tears in your eyes and begging for him to let you cum.

“Mrs. Campbell needs to learn patience.”

“Mr. Campbell needs to fuck his wife or he might go find someone else who will.”

Norton sat up, a shadow falling over half of his face; you worried you said something wrong but when you are turned over to lay on your front. The way he hastily ripped his tie off to bind your wrist behind your back, he left enough fabric to use it like a leash.

“As if you would give that hole of yours to anyone but me.” His body close to yours once more, your head turning to glance behind you. You have never seen Norton naked, no reason to, and though he is not fully naked, he is shaped like a statue of Ares. Muscles and blood, his bones of iron; you whine at the sound of his pants being undone. He filled out so well, and you gasp as his cock-- Hot, heavy, and hard-- slid between your asscheeks. “You're a good boy,” Adjusting his cock with his free hand to press against your hole, “If you were easy, I wouldn’t have noticed how tight you are.” The lace moved aside but not taken off. Norton Campbell will be the death of you, pushing back wordlessly begging him. He is all too happy to thrust into your heat, the groan of how you need to relax, the way you called out his name in the voice he going to be obsessed with for a long time.

Lovemaking would be nice but not what is being done, Norton fucks you like you going to disappear. His teeth bite into your shoulder as he holds you close, thrusting with the intention of making your body remember every drag of cock. He will do this over and over, with you begging over and over to go harder or faster. Norton likes it when especially ask him to touch you, the sobs of your pleasure and way struggle to match his thrusts.

“That’s it,” Husky voice laced with the finest of lust, “(Name).” The sound of your name is spoken throughout the night. Every spot in this room is a witness and near the end he has you on the bed, holding you like you are his most treasured desire. Because you are.

It is a long night before he has to let you go. The saddest part of it all is always when the fantasy ends, yet it makes the memory last the longest. You will feel him for a few days and he will long for you for a few days. The public will only see what they need to see, the smoke and mirrors. The bittersweetness of it all, you try to focus on the sweetness though as he is there. Always there in front of you sharing the sun and moon with you.

[eretzyisrael]

Good News From Israel

Israel's Good News Newsletter to 9th Jun 24

In the 9th Jun 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Two more Israeli breakthroughs in the fight against cancer.

An Israeli exercise system can improve poor eyesight by 25%.

Thousands of Israel’s supporters took to the streets in London and Manhattan.

Intel unveiled its new Israeli-developed microprocessor for powering AI systems.

An Israeli innovation is poised to transform the electric battery industry.

See latest examples of Israeli technology in France and South Africa.

On Jerusalem Day 2024 the population of Jerusalem exceeds one million.

Read More: Good News from Israel

This newsletter was compiled before the latest rescue of four hostages from Gaza.  However, all of Israel is celebrating the good news, despite the loss of another Israeli hero. The photo is from one of the many celebrations that have been taking place in Israel as we depart the traditional period of mourning after Passover and look forward to the Jewish festival of Shavuot (Pentacost) which commemorates the Revelation on Mount Sinai.  We pray that we will have many more opportunities to celebrate in the coming weeks and months.  Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy these latest news items of positive Israeli activities and achievements.

[mariacallous]

In July, the local government of the Italian region of Sardinia suspended the construction of hundreds of new wind turbines, claiming that it would destroy the island’s beautiful landscape. In October, the government then announced its intention to stop the construction of new wind farms altogether, also adding solar panels to the ban.

These decisions followed mounting protests by large groups of activists who opposed these renewable energy developments, advocating instead for the use of natural gas to produce electricity. In August, unknown people set fire to two wind farms that were due to be installed in the north of the island. Similar attacks destroyed solar panels destined to be constructed on local farmland.

Under its new plans, Sardinia is betting instead on developing its natural gas infrastructure while delaying the shutdown of its coal-fired power plants, which now produce more than 60 percent of the electricity needed by the island of 1.6 million people.

The opposition to renewables in Sardinia is a blow not only to other Italian local governments, which are facing tough decisions on how to curb greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a major setback for the central government in Rome and especially for the European Union and its European Green Deal, the ambitious climate plan for the entire continent.

The ongoing battle in Sardinia is the latest example of the struggle European countries are facing in reaching their ambitious decarbonization plans in the continent. Countries such as France, Germany, and Spain have been facing opposition to these projects over the past few years, raising questions about the attainability of a central element of the EU’s green strategy.

The ability and political will of each European country to translate Europe’s plans and goals into actual national laws and policies will be crucial in reaching the continent’s ambitious climate targets. But the risk that a two-speed—or even multispeed—Europe could ultimately derail the overall plans is growing, and it will test the new European Commission’s determination to achieve sufficient progress during its upcoming mandate.

“The commission’s legacy will depend on its ability to push forward vital green policies within a maelstrom of political and domestic discontent,” said Mats Engström, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “The climate team’s members must also bridge political divides within the commission to deliver on its Green Deal promises. Whether it succeeds in this task will be closely scrutinized over the upcoming five-year term.”

The European Green Deal, a policy framework to achieve climate neutrality—meaning full decarbonization—by 2050, was approved in 2020. Subsequent legislation set a 55 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. EU institutions are currently assessing the feasibility of an intermediate goal of a reduction of 90 percent by 2040, which has also been proposed by the commission.

Replacing fossil fuel energy production with renewables is just one aspect of the bloc’s goals. Others include recovering Europe’s biodiversity, making its food system more sustainable, and creating a well-functioning circular economy, all while making its industries greener.

These policies will affect all sectors of the bloc’s economy—households, industry, services, and agriculture—with the aim of also making it more competitive globally.

Analysts at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel published a report in October that identified four areas of risk that may derail the achievement of the EU’s climate goals, which also appear to be intertwined: geoeconomic instability, technological progress, exacerbated inequality, and policy credibility.

“A global economy with more trade disputes and greater risk of conflict endangers the massive capital investment needed for the transition, while the cost of clean technologies is a primary determinant of the economic viability of decarbonisation,” the analysts wrote. They added: “Climate policies will affect people’s everyday lives in disruptive ways, meaning that regressive outcomes must be guarded against, balanced with a concrete commitment to the established climate policy pillars.”

In a September report, the European Commission—the executive arm of the EU—listed a number of key achievements already reached. EU’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 32.5 percent from the 1990 baseline, while the European economy has grown by 67 percent over the same period, demonstrating the decoupling of growth from emissions.

However, the commission warned that although the installation of renewable power plants has been at a record high over the past few years, the pace toward EU energy efficiency and renewable targets must be further increased to ensure their achievement.

The bloc’s executive also warned about the significant challenge to the continent’s competitiveness due to rising competition with China, high energy price differentials compared to industrial competitors such as the United States, and potential strategic dependencies on clean energy technologies.

At the same time, European citizens still face high energy bills, which—combined with the rising cost of living—further reduce their purchasing power.

“The sectors in which it goes pretty well are the sectors where the economic case is there,” said Linda Kalcher, the executive director at Strategic Perspectives, another Brussels-based think-tank. “For instance, as long as there are schemes that actually support households to buy heat pumps or electric vehicles, we see that there is high uptake on them. The areas where it’s still not economically beneficial, like renovating the building stock, are obviously very slow.”

This September’s Eurobarometer, a survey conducted over the previous few months on behalf of European institutions, found that 81 percent of the sample agree that implementing a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target will contribute to Europe’s fight against climate change and to the protection of the environment.

Yet, 53 percent said the EU should encourage member states to make their first or second energy priority enacting measures to support households in energy poverty, while 50 percent said that member states should prioritize focusing on measures to reduce energy consumption or that help citizens to produce or consume energy from renewable sources.

Conall Heussaff, a research analyst at Bruegel, said the biggest risk that could hamper the achievement of the EU’s 2030 decarbonization targets is what the think tank called the “policy credibility risk.”

“There’s a danger for divisive politics to use the energy transition as a wedge, as a way to divide the public and push against the sort of ‘elite imposition’ on people’s lives,” he said.

Political disputes about climate policy were evident in the run-up to European Parliament elections in June in relation to several policy measures, including the phaseout of internal combustion engines, the so-called nature restoration law, and gas boiler sales bans in Germany. These laid bare the divisive nature of policies with a direct impact on households, businesses, and agriculture.

Experience suggests the European Green Deal policies will likely face postponements and even rollbacks in the coming years, analysts warn. These rollbacks, in turn, could stall planned investments and trigger a rise in cost for businesses and citizens that have already made investments in clean technologies.

Achieving the intermediate 90 percent emission reduction target by 2040 largely relies on replacing the current expenditure on fossil fuel with capital investments in clean technologies. According to the European Commission, the annual investment required would be around 700 billion euros ($760 billion) from 2031 to 2040.

But geoeconomic risk looms large on these plans. The disruption of clean technology supply chains potentially emerging from simmering trade tensions between the major trading blocs could derail the continent’s energy transition. So too could broader economic shocks, which might destabilize the macroeconomic situation by driving up interest rates or limiting fiscal space of European countries.

Trade tensions—particularly with China, which dominates the market for critical raw materials and many green technologies, such as solar panels and batteries—could slow down the energy transition and increase its costs.

At the same time, the initial capital investment for technologies such as wind, solar, and batteries comprises the largest share of the total cost of their implementation. Rising interest rates could therefore slow down such investments.

Increased geopolitical instability—and the possible reelection of former U.S. President Donald Trump, some argue—could also trigger higher defense spending by European countries, limiting their fiscal space to finance the energy transition. The slower development of technologies could also have a negative impact. All pathways to a net-zero economy partially rely on technologies which are so far unproven on a large scale.

In particular, progress on carbon removal technologies will be key, because if it proved to be insufficient, other sectors such as agriculture or industry could be required to reduce emissions more quickly. “To succeed, the 2040 climate and energy policy framework needs to be designed to be resilient to such risks,” Bruegel’s analysts said in their October report.

The green transition envisaged by the EU will need to have the buy-in of all the bloc’s governments as well as its citizens to overcome the risks to its success. It will require European leaders to ensure the timely and thorough implementation of existing EU legislation, while limiting political concessions to the many different groups opposing the changes needed.

[95jezzica]

how do you think sweden is as a parent? any headcanons?

It's canon Sweden kind of spoils his kids quite a lot (with that I mainly mean Sealand and Ladonia, but to a degree this also includes Iceland). Not really spoiled in a bad way though? At any rate Sweden pays a lot of attention to his kids, constantly defends Iceland against Nor's and Den's teasing, and even pretends to lose wars against Ladonia. It's sweet, and I figure it's worth mentioning.

As far as headcanons go, this also means I headcanon Sweden as a pretty chill parent in general. As long as they don't endanger/hurt themselves or others, he allows them to do a pretty much what they want (within reason) - but he's still able to put his foot down if he thinks something is going too far.

With that said, if they want a tree house to hold their micronation meetings in? Then you'll be damn sure he's going to build a gigantic treehouse for them. If they're hungry they can usually just go and eat something from the kitchen - though Sweden likely has some rules about what they eat and when.

(Example: If dinner will be ready in 30 minutes they're probably allowed to eat a quick fruit like a banana, but not stuff themselves full on sandwiches. Sweden would probably also tell them to avoid sugary stuff like candy until after dinner, but as long as they don't overdo stuff he wouldn't be too strict on which days they decide to eat their candy).

For Sealand specifically I reckon Sweden & England have shared custody, and as a result Sealand technically has several rooms. (One in each house). To avoid Sealand having to choose between them on holidays they also make sure to celebrate major stuff together or alternate the days between them.

For an example Sealand's birthday is celebrated with everyone together. Meanwhile Sealand celebrates Christmas with the Nordics on the 23-24/12, then goes to that big party America is said to have (which probably is on the 25th), and then Sealand celebrates "Boxing Day" (26/12) with the "eyebrow family", NA-brothers and France.

They'd also have things they celebrate on their own, such as Sealand being with the "eyebrow family" to celebrate things like St. Patrick's Day, St. George's Day and Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes). Then Sealand would be with Sweden and the Nordics to celebrate things like the June birthdays (Ladonia/Den/Swe), Midsummer and Lucia. Just to mention a few examples.

I'd say Sweden and England try to keep the days where Sealand spend his time time pretty even, but they also don't stand and count every minute to make it "fair". One year Sealand might spend a few days/weeks more with Sweden, and another year Sealand might be a little more with England. Living costs are similarly divided. For an example I imagine England was the one who bought Sealand a mobile phone when it became more necessary, but Sweden was the one who bought Sealand a tablet.

Sealand strikes me more as a boy longing for adventures. Sure, he enjoys to sit down and play games/watch TV from time to time, but he's also boy with endless energy. I can imagine him and Sweden doing stuff like going on hikes, building rafts to sail on the local lake - etc - as quality time when they're alone together. Sealand strikes me as someone who if they don't get to DO enough stuff in a day to run off some energy he'll have a hard time falling asleep in the evening.

Now, Ladonia spends pretty much all his time living with Sweden unless he's having a sleepover with a friend or one of his many uncles. As a micronation who nowadays mostly functions as an internet nation, Ladonia has a lot of the latest technology available to him (through Sweden) since he's also more dependent on them.

Because of this Sweden obviously also make sure the house their family lives in has excellent internet connection. Though Ladonia mainly uses his own laptop while moving/traveling around, I headcanon Ladonia also has a robust PC inside his bedroom ("home base" in a sense) and a back-up laptop that he SOMETIMES let's Sealand borrow if they want to play games together.

(At some point Sealand got to choose between getting a computer, laptop or a tablet from Sweden. He chose a tablet).

I've mentioned in earlier posts that I headcanon Ladonia as literally having been born looking like a newborn baby, and as a result of that I think Sweden is/was very protective of him. Obviously Sweden is also protective of Sealand, but it's on a much higher level for Ladonia after Sweden spent YEARS not sure if Ladonia would even survive or how much "nation" Ladonia was since he grew at roughly the same speed as a human for the first 3-5 years of his life. It wasn't until Ladonia's aging slowed down a bit that Sweden could start to breathe easier.

Ladonia also has a big canon interest in Pokémon, so it wouldn't surprise me if he has most of the consoles and Pokémon games. Heck, some of the Quality Time stuff Ladonia and Sweden do together alone is likely a lot of video game playing, and they might even go watch tournaments and regionals being played. Sweden likely even ask Japan for favours to get tickets for the World Championships. I reckon Ladonia would enjoy amusement parks too, so that's another one of the few things Sweden can use to "get Ladonia away from the screens" for a few hours if Ladonia isn't having friends over. xD

Originally I also wanted to write about Sweden and Iceland's relationship as a bonus, but this post is getting really long and I've already done a few posts with them before, so I think I will end here for now. xD

Thanks for the ask, and hope you enjoy this!

[thejollywriter]

I'm goin to bed but i just figured out my next book.

It's a novel that has three smaller novellas inside that all cover the fight against a similar bad guy, but with three different sets of protagonists across time.

The three eras are the late 1940s, the late 2020s, and the near-future cyberpunk setting i created for the Redwood Files.

ALL THREE stories take place in Redwood. Here's a summary.

***

It’s a time of HUGE EXPANSION for the little town of Redwood, as oil is found in them thar hills, and post-war America is famished for that Black Gold.

But not everyone’s excited, and not everyone trying to sink these new wells are what they seem.

Nomadic detectives Sophie and Aretha “Rita” Dubois are WW2 vets. Spies and partisans both, they’re incredibly clever, experienced fighters, and very, very tired. Married in secret during the war, they’re struggling to put down roots and find a place to build a life.

With their latest stop in Redwood, things don’t seem like they’re off to any better of a start, until one night one of the heralds from the Fae Courts visits. Rita recognizes her instantly, and offers to help.

Turns out, not every well being drilled is drilling for oil. Even worse, several of the drillers are Operation Paperclip refugees, plopped down in Redwood to continue Hitler’s occult-related research.

They intend to drill into the magical boundaries of Redwood to harness the power therein, and make portals at-will to alternate worlds where they can siphon material, people, and technology to correct the ending of WW2.

Once again fighting nazis, including American sympathizers who hid their allegiances during the war, Sophie and Rita pull out every trick they learned in occupied France to put a stop to their machinations, once and for all.

***

the next two stories will follow the evolving threat, one with a modern detective i haven't thought of, and the final tale following Delilah Jones as she puts the final nail in the coffin of these nazis.

Every chapter and update will be posted first on Patreon. Sigh up today for a single US dollar to see these stories aS THEY HAPPEN, and even get your name in the credits of the CURRENT book, being published soon.

[tristan-47]

Project Topic : The Notion of Private Data Protection

For the Project I will be making, I will be talking about the Protection of Data Protection and the Underlying questions of a Data Surveillance plan by the prism of Jean Michel JARRE's and Edward SNOWDEN's collaboration song "Exit" from JARRE's 2015 Album "Electronica 1 : The Time Machine".

They are not just one Question I want to ask but rather two perspectives on this Topic...

The first one, in SNOWDEN's words is, can the Current Technological Developments be used to protect Private Protection in the future ?

The second one, from JARRE's perspective is, can there be, currently, a Resistance against any Data Ownership Abuse that Society generated ?

For this Project, I will be answering this Question with the Press Articles from "Slate" as well as the Daily Newspaper where SNOWDEN actually came from "The Guardian".

Due to the presence of references that SNOWDEN and JARRE quoted that are outside of this particular Track and Album, I will be also be using SNOWDEN's Biography on Wikipedia as well as the Genealogy of the JARRE Family concerning the motherhood side of it, being the French Resistant Fighter France PEJOT.

SOURCES :

[abybweisse]

Reading your quick analyses on the latest chapter made me wonder. Do you think there is any possibility that the facility in which Finny was held is also related to Undertaker?

German drug lab and Undertaker

That's highly unlikely... unless the drug tested on Finny was later used for someone like Polaris. Otherwise, it seems too broad of a scope for his attentions. Mostly, it seems too early for Undertaker to be interested in anything more than cinematic records and how to revive the dead.

Finny's experience seems too far removed from anything Undertaker was doing, and I don't mean physical distance. Undertaker could easily be up to something in Germany, as he definitely has something going on in France, but it's likely not drug testing, and even less likely for strength-enhancing drugs.

It would be interesting if Undertaker turns out to be the main person in the Osiris group... and he was just lying about being interested in drugs. Stoker definitely fell for his lie that all of this revival technology was purely medical science.

Even if Undertaker is with the Osiris group, I don't think they are particularly concerned with strength-enhancing drugs... unless, like I said, he finds use for it with bizarre dolls like Polaris.

It's important to note that none of the bizarre dolls on the ship seem to have much strength. Finny was dosed with whatever for an extended amount of time, and he's the first to join the Phantomhive household after Sebastian. By the time the "animal weapons" are set loose on the ship, Undertaker should have been able to get them all dosed, especially if he told Stoker the drug would help with the revival process. It wouldn't have been administered over a long time for them, but it would be a somewhat fresh dose.

Undertaker comes up with all sorts of ideas, based on various information and his own observations. Even if he later uses strength-enhancing drugs on bizarre dolls, it's probably technology he took... not something he helped develop.

I'd look at the German military. Maybe Diedrich knows something about it, much like he found and pulled the top secret files about the witch project. He might have helped our earl on that drug testing facility, too.

[usafphantom2]

Dassault Aviation receives request for 42 Rafale fighters for the French Air Force

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 12/01/2024 - 18:26in Military

At the end of December 2023, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) granted Dassault Aviation an order for 42 Rafale combat aircraft, known as "lot 5", for the French Air and Space Force.

"On behalf of Dassault Aviation and the 400 companies involved in the Rafale program, I would like to thank the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the DGA and the French Air and Space Force for their renewed confidence. We are ready and determined to use our skills as a main contractor and integrator of complex systems to serve the sovereignty of our nation. This military industrial sovereignty is an exception in Europe. It guarantees the superiority of our combat aviation. It is also an asset for diplomatic influence and an economic force in the export trade," says Éric Trappier, President and CEO of Dassault Aviation.

Rafale is a technical, operational and commercial success that continues to position France on a world-class level in combat aircraft.

Rafale was designed to evolve by successive patterns in order to adapt the latest technologies to the user's needs. Standard 4, especially focusing on connectivity, is under development. Standard 5, which is currently preparing for launch, will bring new capabilities in collaborative combat.

France has ordered 234 so far through orders in 1993, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2023.

Rafale was also sold outside France to the United Arab Emirates (80), Egypt (55), Indonesia (42), Qatar (36), India (36) and Greece (12). Croatia acquired twelve oldest Rafales from the French Air Force.

The order book, in addition to the new "lot 5" contract, guarantees production activity for the next ten years.

Tags: Armée de l'air - French Air Force/French Air ForceMilitary AviationDassault AviationDassault Rafale

Sharing

tweet

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

Related news

MILITARY

Tanzania acquires Leonardo C-27J Spartan aircraft

12/01/2024 - 11:30

MILITARY

US and allies counter the Houthis in Yemen

12/01/2024 - 08:35

BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE

BRAZIL: Navy Military completes Hunting Squadron Leadership Course at FAB

12/01/2024 - 07:56

HELICOPTERS

After emergency landing, UN helicopter is captured by terrorist group in Somalia

11/01/2024 - 20:33

MILITARY

Mexican Air Force intends to acquire two C-130J Super Hercules

11/01/2024 - 19:44

MILITARY

France's DGA tests the new Mirage 2000D RMV configuration with the Talios pod

11/01/2024 - 18:57

[beardedmrbean]

North Korea said a second attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit failed early Thursday, but the reclusive country vowed to launch another in the coming months.

The Malligyeong-1 reconnaissance satellite was mounted on a new type of carrier rocket called the Chollima-1 and launched from a station in North Pyongan province in the early morning hours, according to the state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA). The first and second stages "all flew normally, but failed due to an error in the emergency explosion system during the flight of the third stage," KCNA said in a statement.

North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration is investigating the cause of the accident and plans to attempt a third launch in October, according to KCNA.

North Korea attempted to launch its first spy satellite on May 31, but it crashed into the West Sea after an "abnormal starting" of the second-stage engine, KCNA said at the time.

MORE: North Korea satellite launch fails, with another promised as 'soon as possible'

In 2018, North Korea claimed to have put a satellite into space but international analysts later said that wasn't true.

Thursday's second attempt coincided with joint military drills between South Korea and the United States, which North Korea has long denounced.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan all issued statements "strongly" condemning North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology for its launch, which despite its failure they said is in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The three allies also reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together to achieve "complete denuclearization" of North Korea in line with the U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"This space launch involved technologies that are directly related to the DPRK intercontinental ballistic missile program," Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, said in a statement, using the acronym for North Korea's official name. "The President’s national security team is assessing the situation in close coordination with our allies and partners."

"The door has not closed on diplomacy but Pyongyang must immediately cease its provocative actions and instead choose engagement," Watson added. "The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and the defense of our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies."MORE: US, Japan and South Korea's leaders hold historic meeting as threats from China, North Korea loom large

The incident was assessed as not posting "an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies," according to a statement from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which noted that it would "continue to monitor the situation."

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the military "was prepared in advance through identifying signs of an imminent launch."

The office for Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that he held a telephone call with his South Korean and U.S. counterparts on Thursday morning to discuss North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch. The three officials agreed that the launches are happening "in an unprecedented frequency and in new manners" and that they "constitute a grave and imminent threat to the regional security and pose a clear and serious challenge to the international community," according to a statement from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Group of Seven, an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S., also released a statement condemning "in the strongest terms" North Korea's launch.

[spacenutspod]

Paris, France (SPX) Jun 21, 2024 Drones are being raced at Delft University of Technology's 'Cyber Zoo' to evaluate neural-network-based AI control systems for future space missions. The research, conducted by ESA's Advanced Concepts Team and the Micro Air Vehicle Laboratory (MAVLab) of TUDelft, is detailed in the latest issue of Science Robotics. "Through a long-term collaboration, we've been looking into the use o

[iptvpermuin]

El Mejor Proveedor De Servicio IPTV España

El Mejor Proveedor De Servicio IPTV España

The greatest platform for customers to access streaming is servicio iptv online. It works with Android-powered gadgets, including smart TVs, Amazon Firesticks, and Fire TVs. There is a 24-hour free trial and more than 21,000 channels or 100,000 VODs available. It is made up of a quick and safe server.

VPN Allowed and round-the-clock Premium Support via email, WhatsApp, or live chat are also supported. It offers +15000 US, CA, and UK channels in addition to 20000 global channels and is VPN-friendly. It does not permit IPTV location and permits GEO Global Locations in the UK, USA, Canada, and ALL WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS. All forms of payment are accepted.

Features:

top-rated IPTV subscription in 2022

Offering 4K UHD+ and HD streaming for a top-notch viewing experience.

22,000 live channels for a diverse range of content.

+130,000 Video On Demand options, including the latest movies and series with regular updates.

24/7 customer support to assist with any issues or inquiries.

Advanced technology to ensure a smooth viewing experience.

Catch-Up and Electronic TV Guide (EPG):

Multi-Device Compatibility: Compatibility with various devices

Free and Secure VPN

VPN friendly : yes and free

Nombre of channels: 22000

Geolocation: CANADA,UK, USA, Germany, France, Netherlands, EUROPE ….. all the countries

IPTV locked: yes

Supported devices: amazon fire stick, Smart TVs, android tv boxs, IPTV boxes, Smartphones and Tablets, ios devices, M3U Players, Mag devices, Web browser,pc, xbox …. all devices

[eretzyisrael]

by Robert Harris

In an example of how far the United States has fallen, Secretary of State Blinken has been turned into a messenger boy, coming to Israel eight times since October 7 to yank hard on the leash carefully placed around Israel’s neck.

Of course, it is impossible not to ask whether Blinken has also been sent because he was born a Jew.

(Do you understand, Mr. Blinken? For all of your years as an insider in Washington, at the end of the day you are just a Jew. Don’t bother to apply for membership at a Washington-area country club.)

And while Jews focus almost exclusively on the diminishing Biden support for Israel, little is said about European leaders who have been so quick to abandon Israel.

Unfortunately, for over 100 years Europe has largely been a continent populated by cowards and appeasers who refuse to fight for their freedoms, while happily hiding behind the American skirt since 1941. After all this time, what Europe says or does is as meaningless as the foreign policy of the Zulu tribe in Africa.

Indeed, we fear that we are watching the end of Europe, as they again refuse to fight for their freedoms as the continent’s Moslems openly call for a European caliphate.

So where does this leave Israel?

During Israel’s War of Independence Joseph Stalin supplied the Jews with arms sold through communist Czechoslovakia.

In the 1950s through 1967, France was Israel’s chief arms supplier. And after 1973, the United States became Israel’s main source for arms.

In the years after 1973, Israel turned to the Americans as a matter of expediency….and it worked for everyone. This gave Israel the arms it needed to survive, and it gave America unprecedented influence in the Middle East.

Also, for years we believed that sophisticated American arms gave Israel a “qualitative edge” over our Moslem enemies.

However, October 7 proved that the only way for Israel to remain safe is by not solely relying on the most sophisticated early warning systems or latest weapons and technologies.

Israel’s true qualitative edge has always been our belief in ourselves as Jews, our will to survive, and our indomitable fighting spirit.

If, in the future, Israeli pilots are flying South Korean fighter jets that shoot Indian missiles to destroy our enemies, if we are placing technology from Taiwan into our tanks and performing military research in Singapore, we will continue to win our wars. And without American arms.

For we Jews must remember that we will not win future conflicts just because of weapons, but rather because of our Jewish heritage, families, faith and belief in the Jewish people’s right to thrive in our ancient land of Israel.

May the Almighty lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway, and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory.