7/6/2023

JRB,

            How did you like PM Ulf Kristersson? Looks nice enough.

            While The foster dog did not howl last night, she howls when I am not around. Perhaps we’ll call her Howler, instead of Tabs2.

            Your visit to Flex, LTD, today should be edifying. Have you heard of microinverters before? According to Solar Reviews, “if you have limited roof space with multiple angles, have shading from trees to contend with, (or)… if you may want to increase the size of your solar system at some point, microinverters can be an excellent inverter choice.” “However, (they) are not ideal in terms of their added cost, &  decreased efficiency for energy storage systems.”

            As you tout these new “clean energy” manufacturing facilities, please keep in mind what Thomas Oatley, quoted in the CSM says, “There is an irony that we are embarking on another environmentally damaging process in order to offset or try to mitigate climate change.” Please couple your exclamations of joy about “new jobs” with reminders about conservation. We’ll all be better off if we cut back our consumption.

            What do you think of this “unprecedented (judicial) order barring your admin officials from urging social media companies to remove First Amendment-protected speech from their platforms?” I tend to agree with Jason Willick’s assessment that “the merger of public & private institutions, especially in communications & media, is a threat to liberal democracy.” Best to let Facebook & Twitter weed out false narratives on their own.

            Regarding Burma, please give a shoutout to the Karen Women’s Organization which just “successfully convened its 8th Congress from 29 June to 1 July 2023, noting an increase in women’s participation in the wake of the 2021 military coup (with a) remarkable increase in the number of young women representatives.” Make sure they have a seat at the table when peace talks commence. Hopefully those will happen sooner rather than later.

BYBS,