A study of human placentas found microplastics in each one. I have seen a series of results about the presence of microplastics in various places and various kinds of organisms. All of these address one side of the crucial question: are we exposed to microplastics? Whether this is a real problem depends on the other side: how dangerous are they? We speculate that …
Putin seems to be using the "my puppets are pleading for my help" game with Transnistria, a breakaway part of Moldova with a garrison of Russian troops. There is no easy way Putin can send reinforcements to Transnistria: they would have to fly over Ukraine or cross the Black Sea. Either way, Ukraine could attack them But first, surely some of those Russian soldiers would like …
[2/2] … do. But the "un-Islamic marriage" charges clearly demonstrate that the Pakistani state is repressive and unjust. That has, however, been true for a long time, because Pakistan sentences people to death for "blasphemy". I urge everyone to stat away from Pakistan.
Pakistan's government has democratic forms but the substance is military rule. I have no way of knowing whether Imran Khan is guilty of those corruption charges. (I don't know the details of them.) I also don't know whether this is an instance of selective prosecution over something all politicians …
[2/2] … antiarabism. We must be careful to distinguish clearly between antisemitism and criticism of Israel or its actions. I am pro-Israel and pro-Palestine.
A UK court has ruled people cannot be fired for being anti-Zionist. That policy is just: whether to be Zionist or anti-Zionist is a matter of political views, and people should not be fired for disagreeing about those. Being antisemitic is a different matter: that is a form of bigotry, like antimuslimism or …
