Abusing an Abusive System
China appears to be using its restrictive health regulations for more than they were intended. They use a three color system, green, yellow and red, where red means you have been directly exposed and must quarantine for weeks. Every citizen has the health application on their cell phone, so they can display their status, and also must scan a QR code at every business they visit. If you have a red code you are refused most services and blocked from travel. The potential for abuse of this system is obvious.
In April, a number of banks, with an estimated $6 billion in deposits, stopped letting customers make cash withdrawals. Fast forward to June and the situation was critical for many depositors. The initial excuse of “technological upgrades” was far-fetched and no timeline for resolution had been put forward. Over 1 million individuals were affected. A protest was planned to demand answers and recover the lost funds. Hundreds have shared the fact that en route to the protest, their health code suddenly turned red. How many more were afraid to speak out? Not only were they unable to resolve their situation, some even had difficulty traveling back home.
Supply Chain Pirates?
Indonesia has been actively asserting its sovereignty around the Singapore Strait. It has ramped up enforcement against ships anchoring inside its territorial waters. The Strait is extremely busy, with around 2,000 ships passing through every day. It flows between the Republic of Singapore and Indonesia. The exact maritime boundary between the two nations has been changeable, particularly on either side of the Strait, and is still the subject of negotiations. Many ships, to avoid port and docking fees, will anchor in International Waters outside of the Strait while they wait for cargo.
With the boundaries in flux this has not resulted in much savings. Indonesia has been capitalizing on the confusion. Ships can be charged a $14,000 fine for anchoring in their waters without a permit, a pittance compared to the months of lost revenue while cases are adjudicated. There have also been reports of Indonesian officers trying to extort payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars in return for simply letting the ships go. Sadly, it is the cheaper option. Hiring vessels of that size costs tens of thousands of dollars a day. The Indonesian Navy denies any such piracy is taking place, and says that if it is, the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
Undiscovered?
The Pope’s apology tour of indigenous schools in Canada has focused attention on an old and unpopular point of church doctrine. Dating from the 1400’s, the Discovery Doctrine granted Papal authority to claim land and conquer all non-Christians. It was applied first to Portugal, then Spain, followed by the other major European powers. It was the legal justification for the colonial era and consequently the Papacy was often called upon to settle disputes and rival claims.
While its relevance is largely historical, doctrines don’t expire. Nor is it an easy thing for Francis to change. Tradition is an integral part of Catholicism and to assert the fallibility of a predecessor is dangerous ground. How he will cope or if the demands for repudiation will fade as the public turns its attention elsewhere remains to be seen. Perhaps pivoting to a more nuanced interpretation, like Islam did with Jihad, would be in order.
Iranian Spy Satellite
The launch of a new Iranian surveillance satellite has been accomplished thanks to Russia. Carried by a Soyuz rocket from a base in Kazakhstan, the “Khayyam” satellite will significantly boost Iran’s capabilities in digital imagery and missile guidance. Additionally, many have expressed fears that the satellite would be used to bolster Russian intelligence in Ukraine. Iran denies it is intended for anything other than peaceful purposes.
Getting Around Sanctions
Western sanctions have attempted to cripple Russian oil and gas revenues since their invasion of Ukraine. Companies are forbidden to transport what they produce. Domestic Russian tanker ships are used instead. They are registered through subsidiary companies in other countries and flagged accordingly. They are denied certification of seaworthiness as well as insurance on account of sanctions. Indian certification and insurance services readily meet this new need. Yes, it is more complicated and expensive, but they are not being cut out of the world market in the way that is intended.
Countries such as Cuba and India are happy to purchase Russian products. In order to get around using the Dollar to do so, there have been large exchanges for Asian currencies to facilitate the transactions. Saudi Arabia is also purchasing Russian oil. They burn it to generate electricity, thereby freeing up their own domestic production for export at a premium. With prices so high, also on account of sanctions, it could hardly fail to be profitable.
Canadian Pastor Wins Appeal
Artur Pawlowski of Calgary has won his case at the Alberta Court of Appeal. All through the covid restrictions, which were severe across Canada, Pawlowski refused to close his church. Not only did services continue but attendees ignored many of the health protocols government was trying to enforce and overreach was a regular topic of discussion. Pawlowski was arrested multiple times, at his church as well as at many of the protests that swept the country. He was further charged with contempt for continuing services in spite of his arrest and refusing to preface any statement he made about the pandemic with a disclaimer. The disclaimer was to inform his listeners that whatever followed was contrary to the beliefs of medical professionals and the government. Both the contempt charge and the obligation to state the disclaimer have been overturned. Pawlowski’s court costs will also be reimbursed.
Conference on Irony
The United Nations is demonstrating one of its many endearing absurdities. The Conference on Disarmament may very well have to be renamed. The Presidency of this conference rotates alphabetically every year. One of the downsides to that system is now apparent as North Korea has taken over the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. No doubt their first action will be to denounce themselves over the flurry of illicit testing that has taken place this year. Even by UN standards this conundrum is embarrassing, leading many to worry that the credibility of the whole organization is in jeopardy.
Food Compass
A nutritional ranking tool released by Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy comes to some interesting conclusions. It scores foods on a scale of 100 with corresponding categories that advise an individual to limit, avoid, or consume certain items regularly. Raw fruits, vegetables, and legumes naturally receive the highest scores. However, the relative merit of certain other items is downright shocking. Many processed breakfast cereals scored near the top of the scale, three times higher than an egg fried in butter (which they categorize as “to be avoided”) and even beating a boiled egg by over 30 points. Things like ground beef and cheese came in for some of the lowest scores, far below many candies and junk foods like chips. The “policy” aspect may have outweighed nutrition in many of these rankings. Driving consumption away from animal foods is right in line with many government policies in place around the world. This may just be another example of the “science” that is generated to back it up.
The World’s Most Exciting Funeral or An Exceedingly Foul Ball
Archaeologists have made an interesting discovery under the main pyramid in Tonina, a Mayan ruin in Mexico. A tomb was unearthed containing hundreds of individuals’ remains. That fact may be predictable but the state they were found in has led to some interesting speculation. Life after death is a central hope of most religions and the Mayans may have addressed it in a most sportsmanlike manner. The human ashes were found mixed with rubber, among other materials. The speculation is that they were formed into balls and used to play games. While not exactly the afterlife most are looking for, and icky to boot, this tradition was undoubtedly a slam dunk in its own day.
Chipping Away
Semiconductor chips have become an important topic in recent years. They are constantly referred to in the news, whether it be a shortage of supply, where they are made, or how they are used. Pretty much every electronic device you use relies on these chips, from your A/C thermostat to screens, speakers, and of course computers. Even your dishwasher, with its various timers and cycles. These processes are regulated by integrated circuits built on a semi-conductive substance such as silicone, which can be manipulated to conduct electricity or insulate against its flow.
As you probably know, Asian countries dominate chip production, particularly Taiwan and China. Companies all over the world have become dependent on that supply. The danger of this arrangement is clear. Steps are being taken mitigate this risk but their effectiveness remains to be seen. Limitations are being placed on the export of advanced technology and equipment necessary to production.
The complexity of a chip can often be measured in layers, the more layers the more complex. Equipment used for anything more than 128 layers would be disallowed from export. The most advanced chips, slated for production next year, have over 230 layers. They have higher speeds, use less electricity, and are even physically smaller. Other restrictions concerning size are also on the table. Should they come into effect, they would force radical changes that are not possible overnight. A drastic increase in domestic production, currently contributing less than 2% to world supply, would be necessary to facilitate it. Commitment to ending our dependency will have to be measured over time.
Tragedy Ignored
A religiously motivated massacre went largely unnoticed during summer. Atrocities in Africa often do. Over 40 were killed in Nigeria, where a Catholic congregation had met for Pentecost. Islamic extremist attacks are surprisingly common but are inconvenient news for both promoters of Islam and international missions seeking to stabilize the region. Islamic state claims to have perpetrated the attack. Boko Haram also operates nearby. Open Doors, an organization that tracks Christian oppression worldwide, reports over 4,500 individuals killed in Nigeria in 2021.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Ethiopia has finished its third phase of filling the massive Renaissance Reservoir behind the recently completed dam. The created lake will be nearly 500 ft deep in places and stretch over 153 miles. The hydroelectric generating capacity of the installation will be over 6,000 megawatts. For comparison, that is three times what the Hoover Dam produces and nearly equivalent to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, America’s largest.
Though the project has met with resistance, particularly from Egypt, it will transform Ethiopia into the literal powerhouse of a region that constantly struggles with reliability.
