HalfEarthMedic

joined 1 month ago
sorted by: new top controversial old
The Three-Body Problem Trilogy by Cixin Liu in c/books@lemmy.ml
[–] HalfEarthMedic@slrpnk.net 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (4 children)

I read the first book and I think it is the first time in decades that I have encountered actual sci-fi concepts that weren't a reworking of ideas that have been around for decades.

It's not a character driven novel but the characters are fine, mostly they're not that likeable - which in my opinion is not a reason to dislike a story - and I think they probably lose something in translation. When I was a teenager I devoured Asimov, Phillip K Dick, Heinlein etc for the concepts, compared to them the characters in 3 Body are masterfully written.

I haven't yet read the second book as I found the first few chapters a bit of a slog but I plan to pick it up again once I've finished rereading some Ursula K LeGuin

1
Albanese is crying poor, but we’re losing billions a year from untaxed gas (johnmenadue.com)
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by HalfEarthMedic@slrpnk.net to c/australia@aussie.zone
0 comments fedilink
 

[T] he poor design of the resource rent tax has meant little or no money has been collected. According to Treasury, “to date not a single LNG plant has paid any petroleum resource rent tax and many are not expected to pay any significant amounts until the 2030s.

Nor do the big multinational exporters of gas — including Exxon, Shell and Chevron — seem to pay much company tax. The Australian Taxation Office has labelled the oil and gas industry “systematic non-payers” of tax.

1
Open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP from Australian former diplomats (johnmenadue.com)
 

As pressure mounts on the Australian Government over Palestine, a group of highly respected Australians, who have represented our nation overseas, have gone straight to the top with a letter to the prime minister.

1
Australia and Japan cannot accept America’s war on China (johnmenadue.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by HalfEarthMedic@slrpnk.net to c/australianpolitics@aussie.zone
0 comments fedilink
 

The US geopolitical objective is to destroy China’s power. This is being pursued variously. China’s economy depends on Asian sea traffic. The US military strategy is to sever those sea lanes. Thereby China’s economy is imperilled.

However, as the US itself has claimed (from Obama on) it lacks the resources to achieve its objective. It says it must rely on allies’ support.

Unsaid by US planners is that those same sea lanes upon which China depends are critical also for Japan and Australia. Any pedant can see that the natural allies here are China, Japan and Australia.

1
PM's Caretaker Conventions. Who is taking care of whom? - Michael West (michaelwest.com.au)
 

Before the last election, a bureaucrat in the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet attempted to embed ministerial blindness into the conventions of our government.

2.6 Following the end of the caretaker period and once a new government is appointed, successive governments have accepted the convention that ministers do not seek access to documents recording the deliberations of ministers in previous governments.

One only has to think for about 20 milliseconds to realise how detrimental that advice would be.

1
Older Aussies back increased superannuation tax - Michael West (michaelwest.com.au)
 

Despite outcry from the opposition, about 57 per cent of seniors endorse the change, according to a survey of 3000 people aged 50 and older conducted by National Seniors Australia for the Super Members Council.

The results appear to track with broader public sentiment on Labor’s bill, Super Members Council CEO Misha Schubert said.

1
Republic debate sparks push for local power reform (independentaustralia.net)
 

A growing chorus is calling for Australia’s republic conversation to focus less on symbolism and more on empowering local communities through real structural reform, writes Kaijin Solo.