The good news thread

[rani]

Let's not get down! Let's get up and party!

Good things are happening too!

Satellite Leaf Area Index shows the world is greening due to global warming and C02 increases. Laughing my actual ass off!

Here we use three long-term satellite leaf area index (LAI) records and ten global ecosystem models to investigate four key drivers of LAI trends during 1982–2009. We show a persistent and widespread increase of growing season integrated LAI (greening) over 25% to 50% of the global vegetated area, whereas less than 4% of the globe shows decreasing LAI (browning). Factorial simulations with multiple global ecosystem models suggest that CO2 fertilization effects explain 70% of the observed greening trend, followed by nitrogen deposition (9%), climate change (8%) and land cover change (LCC) (4%). CO2 fertilization effects explain most of the greening trends in the tropics, whereas climate change resulted in greening of the high latitudes and the Tibetan Plateau.

 

[enjoypolo]

This is where the world could support new forests. The map excludes existing forests, urban areas, and agricultural lands.
J. BASTIN, ET. AL., SCIENCE 365, 76, 2019

Paul Stamets shared this article from Science Magazine on his social media today, regarding the offset of climate change effects through the reforestation of a billion hectare of forests around the world. Regardless of what my views on the subject are, I think planting trees will undeniably benefit everyone. Looking at the map, it seems to me that this is a rather conservative estimate too. Not to mention, scienists can't possibly foresee all the cascading effects that will come down from that.

We know how to turn deserts into oasis, so the opportunities are endless. Rejoice!

 

[fifthcolumn]

PLACEBOS ARE GETTING MORE EFFECTIVE. DRUGMAKERS ARE DESPERATE TO KNOW WHY.

https://www.wired.com/2009/08/ff-placebo-effect/

"...It's not only trials of new drugs that are crossing the futility boundary. Some products that have been on the market for decades, like Prozac, are faltering in more recent follow-up tests. In many cases, these are the compounds that, in the late '90s, made Big Pharma more profitable than Big Oil. But if these same drugs were vetted now, the FDA might not approve some of them. Two comprehensive analyses of antidepressant trials have uncovered a dramatic increase in placebo response since the 1980s. One estimated that the so-called effect size (a measure of statistical significance) in placebo groups had nearly doubled over that time.

It's not that the old meds are getting weaker, drug developers say. It's as if the placebo effect is somehow getting stronger..."

 

[nickzeptepi]

Good news.

Hemp is finding new markets and new products.

https://returntonow.net/2019/04/14/americas-first-hemp-wood-factory-is-being-built/

https://returntonow.net/2019/03/12/...ong-hemp-is-making-a-comeback-in-levis-jeans/


THC has even more health benefits.

https://returntonow.net/2018/12/05/study-thc-removes-toxic-protein-that-causes-alzheimers/

 

[rani]

Please check out my thread on the mesopotamia co-op, because that shit is EXCELLENT news!!

Also, when I think things can't be done, I like to watch arther's story and remind myself that it bloody well CAN be done!

Never give up, my lovely friends.

 

[rani]

THE POWER OF JUICE COMPELS YOU!

 

[shamangineer]

THE POWER OF JUICE COMPELS YOU!

 

[rani]

This is great! But I guess we'll have to see how it actually plays out...

Judge rules in Julian Assange case

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On 30 July, federal judge John G. Koeltl ruled on a case brought against WikiLeaks and other parties in regard to the alleged hacking of DNC emails and concluded that:

If WikiLeaks could be held liable for publishing documents concerning the DNC’s political financial and voter-engagement strategies simply because the DNC labels them ‘secret’ and trade secrets, then so could any newspaper or other media outlet.

In other words, if WikiLeaks is subject to prosecution, then every media outlet in the world would be. The judge argued that:

[T]he First Amendment prevents such liability in the same way it would preclude liability for press outlets that publish materials of public interest despite defects in the way the materials were obtained so long as the disseminator did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place.

 

[rani]

Don;t know if this belongs here, because it's not good news, IT'S FUCKING FANTASTIC.

https://ecsfr.com.au/

https://the5gsummit.com

One of Australia's senior barristers, Raymond Broomhall, QC and bloody legend has been working for months, pro bono, to enact a legal challenge to the rollout of 5G in Australia. He has already managed to block construction or remove EXISTING installations of over 2000 5G and 4G/LTE.

The way he's gone about it is genius!

He has created a template that allows people to put a civil challenge to the Telcos, via the precautionary principle, which would have them CRIMINALLY charged with assault via non-ionising radiation. The nuances of the way he's laid out the case means the onus is on them to prove it's safe, and not just to hand wave and say 'we have no evidence that it is dangerous'. The big insurers won't touch 5g, so the telcos are wide open for liability actions in the billions and JAIL time for CEOs.

He's also got on-board some very senior politictians and judges. This template also works in US, UK and Canada, and tens of thousands of liability notices already sent out to local officials. This format also works for situations like wi-fi in schools and hospitals.

THe tide is turning, my friends!

BRB - spamming this everywhere for maximum exposure. : )

 

[enjoypolo]

First aircraft made out of hemp:
https://hempearth.ca/2019/07/08/the-worlds-first-plane-made-from-and-powered-by-hemp/

Next step: making a gravity-saucer made of hemp

PS: Apparently they'll be rolling out hemp smartphones too! If only it was Li-Fi ready..
https://hempearth.ca/2019/06/02/hempearth-developing-worlds-first-hemp-phone/

EDIT: After suggesting it to them jokingly, they ended up buying the domains hempufo.com and hempearthufo.com, haha. Can't believe it, kudos to them!

 

[enjoypolo]

Brad Lancaster is the Rainwater Harvesting guru, and he's worked on many projects demonstrating the benefits of rainwater; greywater harvesting design. He has turned areas of Arizona into oasis and food forests. His books are legends and I just recently acquired the latest edition of his book, the physical edition has gorgeous new, colour illustrations too.

His website has great resources as well including on Sun & Shade harvesting: https://www.harvestingrainwater.com/
If you're into this topic, I highly recommend his interview in the Permaculture for the Future podcast for further details