Corduroy Academy

( Mostly) radical thoughts, ideas, and links from late stage colonial capitalism.

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    Aidan
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    Risk of financial ‘wasted decade’ for poor countries, World Bank warns

    The global economy is set to slow for a third successive year in 2024 and is now on course for its weakest half-decade of growth since the early 1990s, the World Bank has warned.

    The Washington-based organisation said poor countries were being especially hard hit by a series of setbacks since the arrival of the Covid pandemic and there was a risk that the 2020s would be a “wasted” decade.

    The Bank’s half-yearly global economic prospects (GEP) – which concentrates primarily on the performance of developing and low-income countries – found an uneven picture in the recovery period since much of the world was shut down in 2020.

    It’s always those who have been most extracted from who end up bearing the brunt of the failings of the “economy”. We need to start having constructive conversations about alternative models of social organisation – socialism’s time in the sun? Anyone?

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    Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI may face EU scrutiny, officials say

    Microsoft is the largest minority investor in OpenAI Global LLC, a “capped profit” subsidiary company that is controlled by OpenAI Inc, the non-profit majority owner of the organisation. Its investment, given in the form of cloud-computing credits as well as cash, officially gives it no control of the company itself, but the possibility of a maximum of a 100-times return on its capital.

    The European Commission said on Tuesday it was “checking whether Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI might be reviewable under the EU merger regulation”.

    OpenAI’s unusual corporate structure was thrust into the limelight last year, when its chief executive, Sam Altman, was ousted and then reappointed in a bitter struggle with the non-profit’s board. Despite having no legal sway over the outcome, Microsoft intervened heavily in the dispute, in part by offering Altman and any other OpenAI staff a job in its own organisation.

    The more regulators look at this the better. Tech bros gone wild is never a healthy or constructive way to live.

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    In Israel, Blinken looks to planning for post-war Gaza as bombardment, fighting continue to rage

    U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken faced tough talks with Israeli leaders on Gaza’s post-war future Tuesday, while Israel’s military pushed ahead with its offensive in the beleaguered territory. Heavy bombardment and fighting shook refugee camps, sending Palestinians scrambling to find safety and hampering aid groups’ efforts to get relief to the population.

    The discordance of “make post war genocide plans” and “keep bombing” is quite deliberate. The US wholeheartedly endorses and actively supports the genocide that the Zionists are committing. This is all talk to keep liberals happy.

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    Pentagon says not planning a US withdrawal from Iraq

    The Pentagon said on Monday it was not currently planning to withdraw its roughly 2,500 troops from Iraq, despite Baghdad’s announcement last week it would begin the process of removing the U.S.-led military coalition from the country.

    “Right now, I’m not aware of any plans (to plan for withdrawal). We continue to remain very focused on the defeat ISIS mission,” Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder told a news briefing, using an acronym for Islamic State. He added that U.S. forces are in Iraq at the invitation of its government.

    Ryder said he was also unaware of any notification by Baghdad to the Department of Defense about a decision to remove U.S. troops, and referred reporters to the U.S. State Department for any diplomatic discussions on the matter.

    Well, of course, we can only expect given the “immanent threat” of “destabilisation” should the “peace keepers” leave. US imperialism and warmongering will never get the attention it deserves.

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    Volkswagen is adding ChatGPT to its infotainment system

    Volkswagen is one of the first automakers out of the blocks with CES news this morning. Working with the voice recognition company Cerence, VW is adding ChatGPT to its infotainment system.

    Just throw “AI” at it.

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    Earth Shattered Global Heat Record In 2023

    Earth last year shattered global annual heatrecords, flirted with the world’s agreed-upon warming threshold and showed more signs of a feverish planet, the European climate agency said Tuesday.

    In one of the first of several teams of science agencies to calculate how off-the-charts warm 2023 was, the European climate agency Copernicus said the year was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times.

    That’s barely below the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit that the world hoped to stay within in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord to avoid the most severe effects of warming.

    And January 2024 is on track to be so warm that for the first time a 12-month period will exceed the 1.5-degree threshold, Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess said.

    The hottest year on record so far! Eat the rich.

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    Aidan
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    South Korea’s Parliament Passes Landmark Ban On Production And Sales Of Dog Meat

    South Korea’s parliament on Tuesday passed a landmark ban on production and sales of dog meat, as public calls for a prohibition have grown sharply over concerns about animal rights and the country’s international image.

    Some angry dog farmers said they plan to challenge the bill’s constitutionality and hold protest rallies, a sign of continued heated debate over the ban.

    The bill would make slaughtering, breeding and sales of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027 and punishable by 2-3 years in prison. It doesn’t provide any penalties for eating dog meat.

    cool, now if globally we could just ban factory farmed meat consumption? Please?

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    Pope laments ‘indiscriminate striking’ of civilians in Gaza and Ukraine wars

    Pope Francis on Monday denounced the killing of civilians amid ongoing conflicts around the world, including in Gaza and Ukraine. 

    In an address to diplomats accredited to the Vatican, the head of the Catholic Church said “modern wars no longer take place only on clearly defined battlefields, nor do they involve soldiers alone.”

    The pope delivered a warning to aggressor nations: “In a context where it appears that the distinction between military and civil objectives is no longer respected, there is no conflict that does not end up in some way indiscriminately striking the civilian population,” he said, adding, “the events in Ukraine and Gaza are clear proof of this.” 

    A shocking day when the pope and I agree.