Willis's Walkabouts Newsletter 105, October 2019 — It's Happening
If you are viewing this on a mobile, the newsletter and many of the links should work better in a horizontal format.
If you live anywhere that is affected by cyclones or hurricanes, the second article in Cyclones and Hurricanes is a must. It could save your life.
If you have been to Kakadu this year, please fill in the park questionnaire at the top of the Bushwalking in Kakadu — Have Your Say section. If you have more time, do the second one as well.
For what it's worth, my three favourite sections are Tambora, Dark Emu and The Next Generation
Watch for the next newsletter. In it I'll have info about a development which could change our world far more than anything else that's happened to date.
Restricted content. Articles marked * or ** are on restricted websites Click for more info.
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In this issue
- WW — New for 2020
- Cyclones and Hurricanes
- Bushwalking in Kakadu — Have Your Say
- Tambora
- 2020 — What's Happening with WW
- A Cashless Australia
- Travel
- Dark Emu — A Re-Examination of Pre-Contact Aboriginal Culture
- China
- Our Changing Society
- Our Planet — We've Only Got One
- Our Hyperconnected World
- The Next Generation
- Photos, Videos & Just For Fun
- News About this Newsletter
WW — New for 2020
New Trips
We are offering a number of new trips for 2020. Here are the first.
- Kakadu Circle Special: 29 June - 17 July
We created this trip on behalf of a couple who wanted to include Dinner Creek along with the best of our Kakadu Circle.
List price: $3595. 4 month advance purchase price: $2876 - Kakadu to the Kimberley
This trip was created on behalf of a group from New Zealand. Most are in their 70s; all are experienced bushwalkers and some have walked with us before. Anyone joining from outside the group needs to be aware of both the age and experience of those with whom they will be walking.
List price: $4995. 4 month advance purchase price: $3996 - Russell's Light Wet Explorer: 9 days beginning 15 or 22 February
I like February. So much so that, even though I get back from 6 weeks in Patagonia at the beginning of the month, I am going to offer a special February trip, doing the things I personally most want to do. There will be minimal pack carrying and only two nights in tents. There will, however, be some long and spectacular walks without packs. And, of course, lots of swimming. I'm still waiting on permission for something we've never been able to offer before so I can't give details yet. If you think there is any chance you might be interested, please send me an email. - Spanish Rock Art & Trek: 4 weeks beginning in late September to early October
We have the interest so we are now working on the details. If you might be interested and haven't yet let us know, please send us an email and ask for details.
New Website and Bushwalking Guide
By the time the next newsletter comes out, we should have draft versions available for comment
- of our new website .
- of our new Bushwalking Guide Essentials booklet.
- and, hopefully, our expanded detailed Bushwalking Guide.
New on Facebook and Instagram
Rod Costigan has been sending me daily updates from our current trip to Hokkaido in Japan. I've been putting them into little video clips and posting them to both our Facebook page and our Instagram page. If you're curious, scroll down and go through the lot. Make sure you read the notes as they give you an idea what you are looking at. Eventually, I'd like to put them all together on a single video which I'll post to both our Facebook page and our YouTube channel.
If you have a look at the Hokkaido videos and have suggestions as to what I can do to improve a similar series, please please send me an email.
Cyclones and Hurricanes
If you live anywhere that could be affected by a cyclone or hurricane (or typhoon if you live in Asia), you must read these.
- How We Create Our Own Hurricane Catastrophes *
The article is about America, but it's just as relevant to Australia. - Those Hurricane Maps Don't Mean What You Think They Mean *
We use the same kind of map for cyclones in Australia — and people here make exactly the same mistakes.
Make sure you click the links to see the whole story.
Bushwalking in Kakadu — Have Your Say
Kakadu Visitor Survey
If you visited Kakadu this year, it is very important for the future of bushwalking in Kakadu that you take the time to fill in the 2019 Kakadu National Park Visitor Survey. It should take about ten minutes, a bit longer if you give detailed answers. They don't get a lot of feedback from bushwalkers so the more they have the more likely it is that we'll be able to continue the wonderful walks we do there.
Growing Tourism In Kakadu
In January 2019, the Australian Government announced a $216 million funding package to support growing tourism in Kakadu National Park and to support Jabiru transition to a post-mining future. As part of the development of a new Tourism Master Plan, the consultants are calling for public submissions. You can have your say at Growing Tourism in Kakadu. Submissions close 22 October.
While bushwalking in Kakadu has a lot to offer both to the Park in terms of feedback about areas that park staff seldom visit and visitors who get to enjoy magnificent bush experiences, bushwalkers make up such a small fraction of park visitors that it is not given the attention I think it deserves. For this reason, it is important that bushwalkers take the time to have their voice heard on how bushwalking can be better supported within the Park".
If some things continue as they have been, I suspect that a lot of money is going to be spent for not much result. I'd begin with how communication between the park and potential visitors can be improved.
Have a look at the Kakadu Access Report. Scroll down and note the things still listed as closed this late in the dry season. For Twin Falls it just says, "road impassable". It doesn't say why the road is impassable. There is a good reason but by not stating exactly why it's still impassable when it normally opened by sometime in July, park management has created a lot of ill will both among locals and people from elsewhere. It didn't have to be that way. If you do make a comment, it would be worth mentioning communication.
Final thought. A large part of the Kakadu budget comes from visitor fees. Without more visitors, some things might get neglected because of lack of funds.
Tambora
Ever heard of it? You should have.
I knew that the Tambora volcano eruption of 1815 was far larger than the more famous Krakatoa, but until I read the book Tambora: Travels to Sumbawa and the mountain that changed the world by Derek Pugh, I hadn't realised just how devastating it had been. After reading the travelogue, I was interested enough to dig more deeply.
The next book I read was Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World by Gillen D'Arcy Wood. This went into an incredible amount of detail. The Tambora eruption had a far greater impact on the world than any other natural event in the last thousand years. Tambora changed the world's weather, caused famines from Asia to Europe and triggered the greatest cholera plague the world has ever seen. Without Tambora's wild weather, Mary Shelly's Frankenstein might never have been written.
As Wood says near the end of the book, "The global death toll from Tambora was likely in the millions — or tens of millions if we include the worldwide cholera epidemic its eruption almost certainly triggered." The world's population is ten times larger now. If something similar happened now, the death toll would probably be in the hundreds of millions.
Another good book on Tambora is The Year Without Summer by William and Nicholas Klingaman has more detail from North America and less from Asia. All three books are worth reading.
Interested in a visit?
Derek Pugh's website has a page page describing the trek to the top. You'll need to scroll down a bit to get to it.
Visit Tambora is a website with a bit of info including guided hikes to the mountain.
2020 — What's Happening with WW
Our PDF Trip List gets updated very regularly. We are, however, getting so many charters and developing new trips that any trip on that list that doesn't already have bookings may have to be cancelled. If you are interested in a particular trip, the sooner you get in, the more likely it is that we'll be able to run it.
- Bungles in the Wet: 2-15 February
Price: $5495. An amazing experience. Booking early guarantees you the best possible price.
Probable guide: Cassie Newnes - Kakadu Circle No. 1: 3-24 May
This trip is already fully booked. We may, however, be able to run the same trip with two food drops beginning a week later. - Kimberley Highlights No. 1: 17 May - 13 June
Price: $5695. Five sections, any of which can be done on its own.
Sections one is already a definite departures. Sections two through five only need two more bookings. - Karijini National Park: 7-20 June
See one of Australia's most amazing gorge systems when the daytime temperature is relatively cool.
Price: $3695. Two sections, either of which can be done on its own. - Prince Regent: 21 June - 11 July
Price: $7495. This is the most remote trip we offer. In 2019, we had so many bookings we had to run two trips. Why not join us and see why it is so popular.
We already have almost enough bookings to guarantee the departure. - Prince Regent Charter: 11 July - 1 August
This trip is fully booked.
A Cashless Australia?
When I put this section in the last newsletter, I was unaware of a government push to turn Australia into as close to a cashless society as possible. I don't like the idea.
Much of the developed world has negative interest rates. In a paper published by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) Enabling Deep Negative Rates to Fight Recessions: A Guide, "We argue that the best approaches for enabling deep negative rates ... are those that ... do not impose quantity restrictions on cash ... [One such approach is] 'the clean approach' which is an electronic money system that takes paper currency off par." In simple terms, if all your money is in the bank, the government can set a negative rate so that you lose money by keeping it there, effectively forcing you to spend it and keep the economy ticking over. I'd rather see a complete overhaul of the system so that it becomes sustainable. If you are young or if you've got children or grandchildren, this should be of serious concern.
Don't think it can happen? Guess again. Already some European pension funds have been told that they are required by law to have a certain percentage of their funds in government bonds in spite of the fact that those bonds are guaranteed to lose value over time. Anything resembling the kind of conservative super scheme that older people should have is being legislated out of existence.
- From The Guardian, Indigenous groups, Labor, Greens attack expansion of cashless welfare card
- From Wikipedia, Cashless Welfare Card. "Commentary stating that the Cashless Debit Card is a success also neglects to mention an actual increase in crime when year to year averages are considered."
Well worth reading. - From the CEC, Cash bans turn Australia into financial surveillance state
The Citizens Electoral Council is a minor party. I disagree with a lot of their policies, but they have my support on this one.
There is a lot more on the web if you'd like to do a search.
Finally, if you agree that it's not a good idea, sign the petition, Stop Scott Morrison from banning cash to trap Australians in banks!. For what it's worth, I've signed it and will be sending emails to a variety of politicians expressing my views as to why it's such a bad idea.
Travel
Flying
- Ride Sharing Adds to the Crush of Traffic at Airports *
The record number of travelers and the popularity of Uber and Lyft have left airports scrambling to ease congestion. - Airline Booking Hacks: What Works, and What Might Get You in Trouble *
Finding the lowest airfare has become a favourite frugal pastime, and there are websites to help you nail down cheap fares. Some strategies, however, are dicey. -
Blue Skies Ahead for Cheap Flights, But Read the Fine Print *
More no-frills carriers as well as major airlines are offering deals on international flights. Just book ahead and be wary of ancillary fees — they can really add up. - 'Big Brother' in the Sky: Cathay Pacific Workers Feel China's Pressure *
Calling it "the white terror," employees describe a culture of fear as managers fire some who have made social media posts supporting Hong Kong's protests.
Cathay Pacific is or was a great airline but, given the above, I don't think I'd fly it again. - As mentioned in the last newsletter, direct Flights between Melbourne and Kununurra begin on 15 May 2020.
Miscellaneous Travel Stories
- More tour companies implode — how's your travel insurance?
"Which brings up the always-thorny issue of travel insurance, its cost and what it doesn't cover. Typically, you are not covered if your tour company suddenly goes broke after you've paid a small fortune.
This is a must read if you're planning a big trip overseas. - Here There Be Dragons. But Can They Survive an Invasion of Tourists? *
Barring tourists from the giant lizards' island lair may save them, but the moratorium could doom residents, who will have to leave, too. If they refuse? "It's their own fault if the Komodo eat them." - Parlez-Vous Anglais? Yes, of Course. *
"Europeans speaking perfect English sounds like good news for native speakers, but it may also be a threat." It's an American centred article but think about it and part of that threat could be to Australian jobs. - Discover the wild majesty of Australia's very own Taj Mahal
I'd be surprised if you've heard of it. - Why you should take the path less travelled.
A few interesting suggestions from The New Daily. If you keep scrolling down when you get to the bottom, you go through a series of another six articles. I found it worthwhile scrolling all the way down. I didn't read them all but I did browse most. Your choices might be different to mine.
Escape!
The Land Where the Internet Ends *
To find real solitude, you have to go out of range. But every year that's harder to do, as America's off-the-grid places disappear.
That's America. If you want to escape digital overload, come on one of our trips. Unless you bring your own satphone, you'll be completely off-line.
Dark Emu — A Re-Examination of Pre-Contact Aboriginal Culture
I recently came across the book Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe. Having read it, I can't recommend it highly enough.
The Guardian had a Dark Emu's infinite potential: 'Our kids have grown up in a fog about the history of the land'. "Pascoe immersed himself in those records — such as the diaries of explorers, which were surprisingly full of information about the way Aboriginal people managed their lands. "You have to read them in the original form, without the editing, because in some of them there was a severe edit before they became public documents, and often the only stuff missing was the observations about Aboriginal use of land," Pascoe says.
The Conversation ran a similar story Dark Emu and the blindness of Australian agriculture which summed it up nicely.
"The key contention in Pascoe's book is that the whole distinction between the farming colonist and the hunter-gatherer indigene is based on a radical, and frankly self-serving, misunderstanding of the way that the Indigenous peoples of Australia lived in their countries. Pascoe assembles a persuasive case that Indigenous Australians farmed their land, lived in villages, built houses, harvested cereals, built complex aquaculture systems — possibly the earliest stone structures in human history — and led the kind of sedentary agricultural lives that were meant only to have arrived with Europeans in 1788.
I'll go so far as to say that I think it should be mandatory reading in every high school in the country. Young Dark Emu is suitable for primary schools.
China
Two for starters
-
The United States is now in a direct ideological war with China over the shape of the world in the 21st century. *
"The trade war between the United States and China, and the brave protesters in Hong Kong fighting for the preservation of the rule of law against the threat of absorption into lawless Chinese authoritarianism, are facets of this overarching confrontation. If you focus on the signal and not the wildly gyrating noise, President Trump has gotten China policy about right. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. It was time to draw a line in the sand against Xi and his overreach."
Agree or not, you should read it. - The Tenacity of Chinese Communism *
How the party revived an ancient philosophy to extol order and compel obedience. - By Taking Aim at Chinese Tech Firms, Trump Signals a Strategy Shift *
"In blacklisting surveillance companies, the United States is the first major government to punish China for its crackdown on Muslims."
Hong Kong
Three of the better stories I've read about the current problems.
- 'One Country, Two Nationalisms: The Identity Crisis Behind Hong Kong's Turmoil *
How economic dislocation and immigration set the stage for wider backlash against Beijing's overreach — and for emerging divisions within Hong Kong. - Hong Kong's Status as Neutral Ground at Risk as China Asserts Power *
The island's traditional role as a gateway is under assault from President Trump's trade war and a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. - China and a Global
Economic Contraction
"China is caught between its need to suppress the protests in Hong Kong and its fear of the consequences if it does. When decisive action becomes a threat, it's a sign that a regime is in trouble. China has tried to appear patient, but it is increasingly appearing impotent to its own people. And that is the one thing it can't tolerate. - The Greater Good Versus Individual Liberty
Louis Gave, who has lived in Hong Kong for 20 years, adeptly cuts to the core issue, this time finding a connection between Brexit and the Hong Kong protests. Both have major economic consequences and possibly historic ones, too. This short essay has a lot of food for thought. - Hong Kong Takes Symbolic Stand Against China's High-Tech Controls *
The first major place in China to rebel against Beijing's technologies of control is one of the last not yet fully under their thrall.
In Depth
Here are a series of articles, most from an organisation called Geopolitical Futures. Everything I've read of theirs makes sense to me.
- US - China Trade War
Well worth reading. Australia will eventually need to take one side or the other. - The Geopolitical Logic of the US-China Trade War
A different perspective. - The US, China and Japan: Grand Strategies
Nations try and do what they must to survive. - China as a Seller's Market
This is a bit long but it gives an excellent picture on how much China depends on other countries, much more so than the US. - The People's Republic of China at 70: Of Opium and 5G
"The Opium Wars opened China. Mao tried to enclose China, and Deng reopened it. We are now, 70 years after the founding of the PRC, facing the question of whether a nation so constituted can long endure, or more precisely, endure without internal conflict. It is an old question in China and repeats itself in different ways. But in the end, it seems to terminate either in conflict or in ruthless suppression. Xi Jinping has signaled that he wishes to suppress conflict with minimal ruthlessness. The question is whether there is such a choice in China. The idea is that 5G and its brethren will allow China to leap over the question. Perhaps, but 5G will be sold to foreigners, and the customer has power. And in China, that power has always been dangerous."
And, To Finish
The Threat to Limit Capital Flows to China and Pending Impeachment Conflict: Next Logical Steps in a Classic Dangerous Journey? The 1935-45 Analogue
"We are on a classic journey that we haven't seen in our lifetimes but has happened many times before, most recently in the late 1930s. It is being driven by the same big forces that drove the dynamics in the late 1930s. In particular, now, like in the late 1930s and unlike any period since, these three big forces are converging."
If nothing else, browse the first part to get an idea of where we look to be headed. It's a bit scary.
Our Changing Society
Some things are hard to change
Why Do the Democrats Keep Saying 'Structural'? *
Candidates are promising a kind of change that history suggests they cannot deliver.
"Social structures persist because of deep-seated cultural understandings, expectations and informal rules that shape everyday behavior and the workings of institutions — and because people who benefit from such structures use their resources to preserve the status quo. As a result, major structural change typically requires more than what even the most progressive Democratic candidates are offering."
Same applies in Australia. Some political promises cannot be kept.
Democracy and Freedom
- Democracy in Crisis
Explains how democracy has been losing ground around the world. - Table of country scores
It's a bit hard to pull out some figures, but the US has dropped to #52 with a score of 86 out of 100; Australia and New Zealand both score 98.
If you click the link and sort by aggregate score, you might get some surprises.
Close to Home
- The Sterile, Efficient Life of a Millennial *
I'd love a dining car on the train. Or any chance to slow down. - Garry Linnell: Our massacre of the English language in the name of jargon has a dark side
"We live in a new era, the Age of Babble-On, a time of double-speak and patronising slogans designed to either deliberately confuse us — or conceal a darker truth." - How Phones Made the World Your Office, Like It or Not *
From desk to car to pocket. -
We Aren't Seeing White Support for Trump for What It Is *
"A crucial part of his coalition is made up of better-off white people who did not graduate from college." - Who Gets to Own the West? *
A new group of billionaires is shaking up the landscape.
We don't have the same problem but we have a similar one. The property where we did our airboat trips has been sold to a Malaysian company. A Chinese company owns Mount Elizabeth Station which we need to cross to do our Charnley trips. What's next? - Is America Becoming an Oligarchy? *
Growing inequality threatens our most basic democratic principles.
The story is about America. If we're not careful, it could happen here. - A Brief History of Slavery That You Didn't Learn in School *
"A child's shackles, a West African legacy, a black sergeant in the Union Army — these are stories you need to hear."
This is American. For the Australian version, read Dark Emu
Women in Other Societies
- Craving Freedom, Japans Women Opt Out of Marriage *
The percentage of women who work in Japan is higher than ever, yet cultural norms have not caught up. More and more, women are rejecting the double standard. - A Prosperous China Says 'Men Preferred,' and Women Lose *
Gender is now one of the most important factors behind income inequality in China, where workplace discrimination and court rulings have set women back.
Japan and China both have seriously aging societies. In the longer term, things like the above will magnify their problems.
Immigrants
It's not just Australians and Americans who are becoming paranoid about immigrants.
- The Global Machine Behind the Rise of Far-Right Nationalism *
Sweden was long seen as a progressive utopia. Then came waves of immigrants — and the forces of populism at home and abroad. - Anti-Immigrant Venom Killed Their South African Dreams *
"Hundreds of Nigerians fleeing mob attacks have been airlifted out of South Africa, leaving behind their jobs and stores, homes and hopes."
Worth noting that our trips to South Africa don't go to the affected areas.
Our Planet — We've Only Got One
The Amazon
The photo is a night satellite image of the Amazon basin with an overlay showing national boundaries. The white blotches are towns and cities. The orange is forest fires. Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina. We often suffer major bushfires here in Australia, but this is almost beyond belief. Click the photo to see a larger version.
I found the photo in a NY Times article, Where Is the Amazon Rainforest Vanishing? Not Just in Brazil *
"Deforestation at breakneck rates is depleting vast expanses of Amazon forest contained in South American countries neighboring Brazil. Forest loss in those nations, which host roughly 40 percent of the Amazon, underscores how the fires now ravaging parts of Brazil and provoking global alarm are just one piece of a broader regional crisis."
That goes well with 'It's Really Close': How the Amazon Rainforest Could Self-Destruct *
"A body of research suggests, the Amazon as a whole would cross a tipping point and begin to self-destruct — a process of self-perpetuating deforestation known as dieback. If that is left unchecked, half or more of the rainforest could erode into savanna, according to some estimates, and then the rainforest, which has long absorbed the world's greenhouse gases, could instead begin to emit them."
It's not just the Amazon
-
As Amazon Smolders, Indonesia Fires Choke the Other Side of the World *
Thousands of fires, most of them set to clear land for plantations that make palm oil, created thick clouds of smoke that disrupted air travel and sickened people. -
Palm Oil Was Supposed to Help Save the Planet. Instead It Unleashed a Catastrophe. *
A decade ago, the U.S. mandated the use of vegetable oil in biofuels, leading to industrial-scale deforestation — and a huge spike in carbon emissions. - The Amazon, Siberia, Indonesia: A World of Fire *
The growing intensity of wildfires and their spread to new corners of the globe raises fears that climate change is exacerbating the dangers. - Closer to home, the Larapinta Trail in Central Australia suffered major damage earlier this year.
- West MacDonnells blaze: sorrow and questions
- The Central Australian Bushwalkers say, Burnt but still worth a visit
- In late August, I received an email from one of my regular clients. She said, "We have just walked the Larapinta trail and were disturbed to see so much of the trail burnt to a cinder. Some say areas will never recover. Ormiston Pound was unburnt as was Mt Giles but all around Hugh Gorge was devastated. Might be worth further investigation. Also one third of hikers were evacuated with viral gastro while we were walking." This was six months after the fire.
- It's only October, so what's with all these bushfires? New research explains it,
From The Conversation, the article above is one of the best I've seen for explaining the drivers behind bushfires throughout Australia.
Climate Change
Climate Change and Its Effects: Can We Undo it?
It's a good summary and has some interesting links.
Our Hyperconnected World
It seems as if Facebook is in the news every few days. Here are some of the more interesting articles I've found. If you use Facebook, some of this is going to affect you.
- Facebook Tests Hiding 'Likes' on Social Media Posts *
The social network, which has been under fire for extreme content on its site, said it was testing making Likes to posts private in Australia. - Facebook's Suspension of 'Tens of Thousands' of Apps Reveals Wider Privacy Issues *
The scale of suspensions, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, was far larger than the social network had previously revealed. - Facebook Antitrust Inquiry Shows Big Tech's Freewheeling Era Is Past *
Two settlements and a new antitrust investigation highlighted a new reality for tech giants: Scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers has become a constant. -
F.T.C. Approves Facebook Fine of About $5 Billion *
If approved by the Justice Department, the settlement would be the biggest fine levied by the federal government against a technology company. - The Sum of Zuckerberg's Fears *
He puts on a good front in Washington. But a leaked recording reveals what seems to keep him up at night. - Facebook Can Be Forced to Delete Content Worldwide, E.U.'s Top Court Rules *
The decision that individual countries can order Facebook to take down posts globally sets a benchmark for the reach of European laws governing the internet.
Ransomware
It's happened many times in America. If if hasn't already happened here, it's only a matter of time before it does.
-
Ransomware Attacks Are Testing Resolve of Cities Across America *
As hackers lock up networks that power police forces and utilities, municipalities must operate with hobbled computer systems, and decide whether to pay ransoms.
It works so the problem will only get bigger. - When Ransomware Cripples a City, Who's to Blame? This I.T. Chief Is Fighting Back *
The former information technology director of a northern Florida city forced to pay $460,000 after a ransomware attack was fired. Now he's suing.
A quote from a financial newsletter, "We've seen cyber attacks breach banks, hospitals, vehicles, industrial controls, city governments, energy infrastructure, baby monitors, medical devices and telecom networks ...and influence voters around the world. Nation-states actively develop network exploit capabilities and conduct offensive cyber actions against other nations, while criminal networks reap billions from fraud and hacking. It seems only a matter of time before a catastrophic critical infrastructure failure or election-changing deepfake generates unstoppable calls for massive regulation."
Big Tech, Big Data, Big Trouble
- At Tech's Leading Edge, Worry About a Concentration of Power *
A.I. research is becoming increasingly expensive, leaving few people with easy access to the computing firepower necessary to develop the technology. - How an Online Mob Created a Playbook for a Culture War *
The powerful lesson of a 5-year-old harassment campaign: How to wage a post-truth information war. - This Video May Not Be Real *
What should we really be worried about when it comes to "deepfakes"? An expert in online manipulation explains. -
The Police Photoshopped His Mug Shot for a Lineup. He's Not the Only One. *
When witness descriptions made no mention of a suspect's facial tattoos, the police airbrushed them away for an identification lineup. The practice goes beyond one case. - Are Police Lineups Always Fair? See for Yourself *
Hints can steer witnesses toward the suspect the police already have in mind. - Calls Mount to Ease Big Tech's Grip on Your Data *
The wealth of some tech giants is built on harvesting and commercialising personal data. Advocates for a new deal on data are gaining momentum. - Justice Department Opens Antitrust Review of Big Tech Companies *
The agency said it would look into concerns about anticompetitive behaviour by some of the industry's biggest companies. - Good for Google, Bad for America *
At its core, artificial intelligence is a military technology. Why is the company sharing it with a rival? - U.S. Using Trade Deals to Shield Tech Giants From Foreign Regulators *
"The Trump administration has begun inserting legal protections into recent trade agreements that shield online platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube from lawsuits, a move that could help lock in America's tech-friendly regulations around the world even as they are being newly questioned at home."
Misc
- Life in an Internet Shutdown: Crossing Borders for Email and Contraband SIM Cards *
Internet shutdowns have become one of the defining tools of government repression in the 21st century — but citizens bear the cost at work and at home. - The Big Data Dilemma
"while this hyper-connectedness has unquestionably liberated many of the macro constraints that existed prior to the proliferation of the internet, the side-effects have been somewhat unnerving on a micro level. For example, research suggests that even with constant access to social media, smartphones, tablets, streaming videos, music, and the Internet, levels of happiness, satisfaction, and feelings of "connectedness" are on the decline. Painfully ironic, no?"
This article is among the best I've seen at explaining some pros and cons of our hyperconnected society.
The Next Generation
What I'd Like To See
A Peculiarly Dutch Summer Rite: Children Let Loose in the Night Woods *
It may sound extreme, but it's normal in the Netherlands.
It was once normal in Australia. I was involved with the Duke of Edinburgh award back in the 1980s. In those days, after a bit of training, 14 year old kids would go on an overnight walk without adult supervision. To be sure, there were adults within calling distance but, if nothing went wrong, they were on their own.
Today's Sad Reality
We Have Ruined Childhood *
"For youngsters these days, an hour of free play is like a drop of water in the desert. Of course they're miserable.
We live in a changing world. We're not allowing kids the kind of freedom they need to develop the resilience they will need to cope.
Photos, Videos & Just for Fun
Photos
- Nature Picture Library
Great nature photos, worth scrolling through
Videos
- Nature Picture Library Videos
Lots of short videos. I could happily browse for 10-20 min or more. - How they eat, drink and survive in space Interesting clip from the International Space Station.Video well worth the time (11.5 min) for anyone curious as to what it's really like.
- I found the link above in an article on The Conversation for Curious Kids. Curious Kids: How big is the International Space Station?
News About This Newsletter
Restricted websites.
The NY Times now asks you to sign on for a free account before you can read any article. Once you've done that, you can look at ten free articles each month. I've got more links than that in this newsletter so I've marked them with a red asterisk (*) so that you can choose which are of most interest to you. If you are interested n subscribing, they have an introductory offer, Readers in Australia subscribe for just A$2 a week. You can cancel at any time but if you keep going after the year, the cost will rise to A$5 per week.
The Washington Post, Bloomberg and The Economist all have limits but I'm not sure what the current limits are so I've marked Washington Post, Bloomberg and Economist articles with a double red asterisk (**).
Next Newsletter — November? December?. Depends on how organised I am. I've already got almost enough for the next one.
As always, I welcome a bit of feedback about some of the things in this newsletter and suggestions for the next one.
Sending the newsletter
I'm now using a paid version of MailChimp to send all of the newsletters. I'm not sure what I'll do if the list goes over 2500.
walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au is the contact address on our website. If you would like to continue to receive these newsletters, please include this address in your "friends list" so that it isn't blocked.
Emails sent to walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au are currently automatically forwarded to rrwillis at internode.on.net. If you want to send an email to that address, replace the word "at" with the symbol @. I am trying not to put that address any place where it can be harvested by spam bots.
We don't want to add to the mass of email spam. If you don't want our newsletter, please send us an email and let us know. We'll then delete your name from our newsletter list.
Our email address is walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au.
Note. Both MailChimp and the other program we use to send some of these newsletters have an automatic delete at the bottom. Clicking that link will delete you from the mailing list on the server but it will not delete you from our main database. One of the programs will not allow the auto delete to send me an email notifying me that a deletion has been made. If you want to be sure that you are removed from all further mailings, please send an email to walkabout@bushwalkingholidays.com.au
If you know someone you think would enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to them. The more people who get it, the more likely it is that I'll be able to run the trips which might interest you.
Best wishes to all.
I hope you enjoy reading the newsletter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Russell Willis