If you're fortunate enough, life can be delightful; otherwise, it can be an ordeal…
According to Le Monde Diplomatique, this month's edition, the world is challenged on this topic:
…France, averting the risk of total war; war and peace on the Korean peninsula; Gaza, what plan for the ‘day after’? Palestine has a long history with Russia; Guatemala’s temple to neoliberalism; Javier Milei takes his chainsaw to Argentina’s cultural institutions; the Med’s ‘frogs round a pond’; Tunisia aims to supply Europe with solar power; ancient forests resist climate damage; restricting civil liberties in the name of fighting anti-semitism…
Ex-President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in the hush money trial yesterday, and France, Germany, and the USA have allowed Ukraine to fire missiles into Russian territory.
Recent developments suggest the emergence of a new version of a "Second Yalta Agreement" following China's statement yesterday.. It is important to remember that behind the scenes China plays a very important role in Jalta ONE. Finally, the new battle: The solar breakthrough that could help the U.S. compete with China. Also available in this edition.
”In 2019, around 970 million people globally were affected by a mental disorder. By the way, the article titled "Why We Still Turn to Magic in Difficult Times" was published in TIME magazine.
This article is available in the following editions.Karlstad, Sweden - May 26, 2024, by Germán & Co“On Friday mornings, illuminated by golden light and surrounded by petals basking in the sun's warmth, a free-spirited and daring “gipsy” danced. Her eyes revealed untold tales as her skirts twirled gracefully, resembling falling leaves whispering secrets from the wind. A sense of loneliness and forgotten dreams was evoked by this poetic scene, resonating through the streams illuminated by sunlight. The laughter resonated like crystal chimes, recounting stories from distant eras of lost love and discovering treasures embraced by unbound sunsets.
Yes, for some, thank goodness it is Friday; for others, the encounter with loneliness is a mysterious force that can sneak into even the happiest lives. It resides in the hidden depths of our minds, awaiting unexpected circumstances to amplify its presence. Whether triggered by the painful loss of loved ones, the breakup of cherished relationships, or the sudden onslaught of overwhelming hardships, loneliness paralyzes the spirit with an unwavering hold. Like an unseen ghost, loneliness erodes the fabric of human connection, leaving individuals grappling with a profound sense of disconnection. The once-familiar bonds of relationships unravel, replaced by a void of emptiness. Its impact penetrates the soul, reverberating through one's existence and permeating every aspect of life like a chilly winter breeze.
In this desolate landscape, mental health struggles emerge, casting a long shadow over individuals. Anxiety, a relentless companion, tightens its grip around the heart, planting seeds of doubt that offer a dark temptation to escape from the eternal pain.
This enigmatic blonde, Marilyn Monroe, has captivated the world as one of the most beautiful women in history. However, behind her glamorous facade lies a complex and troubled existence, often categorized as a myth by some. Monroe's genetic inheritance from her mother proved to be a double-edged sword, as it played a significant role in her battle with depression and bipolar disorder. The priest and writer Ernesto Cardenal, who was also a Trappist monk, channeled his platonic love for that stunning blonde – Norma Jeane Mortenson – into the poem, "Pray for Marilyn Monroe." She, indeed she, the solitary, marvelous woman who passionately sang "Happy Birthday to You" to her beloved, President John F. Kennedy. Ernesto delved deep into her mind to write "Pray for Marilyn Monroe," which became a radiograph of the interior of a person tormented by feelings of anguish, who can ultimately no longer bear the suffering.
According to the latest available data, around 970 million people globally were living with a mental disorder in 2019, with conditions such as anxiety and depression being the most common. The World Health Organization (WHO) also highlights that mental health conditions can significantly impact relationships, education, and work and are influenced by various factors, including poverty, violence, and inequality.
It's important to note that mental health conditions are treatable, and many can be managed effectively at a relatively low cost. However, there is still a considerable gap in treatment availability and quality worldwide, and mental health care systems remain under-resourced. Additionally, stigma and discrimination against those with mental health conditions persist, which can hinder people from seeking help. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a significant impact, causing a rise in the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders due to the stress and challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and addressing it requires a comprehensive approach that includes improving data collection, treatment options, and societal attitudes towards mental health.
Indeed, my dear friends, if you're fortunate enough, life can be delightful... Happy Friday!
You can also read in this post: "Is Milei real, or is he a fictional character? 'It's not easy for someone to defy the norm and be unpredictable in times of predictability.'" published in El País, written by Martín Caparrós, 20 May 2024.
In December 2023, Energy Central celebrated top contributors in the Energy & Sustainability Network at the 'Top Voices' event. Winners were featured in 6 articles, demonstrating community recognition. The platform enables professionals to share their work, interact with colleagues, and collaborate with influencers. Congratulations to the 2023 Top Voices: David Hunt, Germán Toro Ghio, Schalk Cloete, and Dan Yurman for demonstrating their expertise. - Matt Chester, Energy Central
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"Our commitment to providing value and expertise remains unwavering."
Andrés Gluski, President and CEO of AES Corporation.In the United States, renewable energy sources are poised for rapid growth in the field of electricity generation, with states, communities, and organizations pledging to reduce their carbon footprints. The recent merger between Power and AES's clean energy development business in the US is a testament to our commitment to forging a more sustainable energy landscape. This union not only solidifies our dedication to our clients' goals but also brings a host of benefits. It significantly bolsters our capacity to aid customers in their energy transition by harnessing the expertise and leadership of AES and sPower in the renewable energy sector. We remain resolute in our mission to become a leading platform for renewable energy growth in the US.
The combined entity will manage 2.5 gigawatts (GW) of operating assets, a contracted backlog of 2.6 GW, and a portfolio of 12 GW in development projects. Moving beyond these statistics, we strive to provide value to our customers through the expertise, skills, and dedication of our team of approximately 500 professionals, who are dedicated to solving our clients' most complex energy challenges.
We are actively seeking out and welcoming qualified individuals who possess the necessary skills and who share our vision of transitioning to a 100% carbon-free energy grid. Our commitment to this vision is unwavering, and we are eager to have like-minded individuals join us on this journey.
In our pursuit of cleaner energy, we recognise the myriad approaches customers can employ to achieve 100% renewable energy consumption. Through our partnership with sPower, we are able to offer a wider array of innovative solutions. These solutions, which are powered by cutting-edge technologies, are designed to assist customers in their energy transitions and propel them towards a carbon-neutral future. This commitment to innovation and sustainability sets us apart in the industry and makes us an ideal partner for those who are seeking to have a positive impact on the environment.
Our partnership with Microsoft for a 300 MW solar energy project highlights our commitment to helping clients achieve their sustainability goals. The Pleinmont Solar I and II projects, part of the Spotsylvania Solar Energy Center in Virginia, are expected to generate around 715,000 MWh of solar energy annually, offsetting over 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
An illustrative example is our partnership with the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), where AES introduced a groundbreaking solar + storage solution to facilitate solar energy generation beyond daylight hours. This innovative approach gained recognition and established a new standard for providing large-scale renewable energy, supporting Hawaii's goal to be fully powered by renewables by 2045.
We are prepared and eager to assist additional clients, such as Microsoft and KIUC, with eco-friendly and intelligent energy solutions that perfectly align with their business goals and environmental pledges.
"Our commitment to providing value and expertise remains unwavering," stated Andrés Gluski, President and CEO of AES Corporation.
Source mediaUkraine: what might have been
Le Monede Diplomatique by *Benoît Bréville
Why the silence from French journalists and commentators? They’re normally so fond of secret documents about Russia. They hunt down every hidden plan through which Moscow tries to dissolve the cohesion of democratic societies, every Russian mole lurking in the state apparatus. On 27 April the German conservative daily Die Welt served them on a silver platter a confidential plan from the East: the final version of the peace agreement negotiated by Kyiv and Moscow in the early days of the war – a significant document, which, had it been signed, could have avoided two years of conflict and hundreds of thousands of deaths. The French media have made almost nothing of it (1), perhaps wary of digging into a story in which Western warmongers don’t come up smelling of roses.
In Istanbul on 29 March 2022 Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for the seventh round of negotiations in a month, in an evolving military context in which the Russian aggressor had suffered its first setbacks. When the talks ended, both sides hailed ‘significant’ progress and expressed optimism. Kyiv was open to Ukrainian neutrality, Moscow to a ceasefire. However, the talks broke off, for reasons that remain disputed. The document from Die Welt provided some details.
The official version is that the revelation of the Bucha massacre in early April convinced President Volodymyr Zelensky that he could not keep negotiating with a country that committed genocide. In reality, the exchanges continued via video-link until 15 April, nearly two weeks after the discovery of Bucha. Those two weeks of negotiations transformed the broad outlines established in Istanbul into a detailed, 17-page text. Reading it reveals both sides’ priorities and the compromises they were willing to make to end the fighting.
Rather than territorial conquests, Russia sought security guarantees concerning its borders, stipulating in the very first article the ‘permanent neutrality’ of Ukraine, which would agree to give up all military alliances, prohibit the presence of foreign troops on its soil and reduce its arsenal, while retaining the option of European Union accession. In return, Moscow would commit to withdrawing its troops from areas it had occupied since 24 February, end its attack on Ukraine and agree to the security assistance mechanism requested by Kyiv: in case of aggression against Ukraine, members of the UN Security Council would come to its defence.
Why did the Ukrainians ultimately leave the negotiating table with peace seemingly within reach, even though the talks went on after Bucha? For two years, evidence has pointed to the responsibility of the US and the UK, which, over-confident of Moscow’s defeat, firmly rejected the protection mechanism the negotiators had come up with. ‘When we returned from Istanbul, Boris Johnson came to Kyiv [on 9 April] and said that we would not sign anything with them at all, and let’s just fight,’ Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Davyd Arakhamiia, said in November (2). A narrative contested by Johnson, but corroborated by a Wall Street Journal investigation (3).
The French media, meanwhile, have studiously ignored it.
*Benoît Bréville serves as the president and editorial director of Le Monde diplomatique, with translations provided by George Miller.
Brain imaging in bipolar disorder reveals structural and functional changes, affecting areas like the prefrontal cortex and gray matter, and involving key neurotransmitters.Why We Still Turn to Magic in Difficult Times
Tabitha Stanmore, a specialist in magic, published "Time" on May 24, 2024. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter, UK, known for her book "Cunning Folk."In 1552, the Protestant divine Hugh Latimer preached a sermon in Lincolnshire, England. “When we be in trouble,” he said, “or sickness, or lose any thing, we run hither and thither to wizards or sorcerers, whom we call wise men… seeking aid and comfort at their hands.” Latimer saw this reliance on magic as a problem because it caused supposedly good Christians to turn their backs on God. The preacher had a point: in his day, there was a spell to solve nearly every problem, and a whole army of cunning folk willing to sell said spells to desperate clients. But Latimer was fighting a losing battle.
No matter how many sermons he, and others like him, dedicated to stamping such practices out, magic and mysticism would resurface in times of crisis. While Latimer despaired of Tudor people consulting cunning folk, the men and women themselves were using every method at their disposal to get through the day. One 16th century cunning woman, Joan Tyrry, consulted fairies to diagnose child illnesses. The 15th century vicar-cum-magician William Dardus found stolen goods by summoning spirits. The same year that Latimer complained, a servant named Joan Hall bought a spell to help her procure a “rich marriage.” As time went on, this became more acute in times of widespread danger: when crops failed or war broke out, the impulse to use magic got all the more powerful. As we will see, this is true of the modern day as much as it was the Early Modern era.
This belief in magic and the supernatural didn’t die out as time progressed: In fact, it survives into the present day. There is an old assumption that belief in magic faded away in the Enlightenment, shepherding a new age dominated by rational decision-making and scientific progress. It’s true that times have changed, but perhaps not as much as we might expect. Instead, it seems that when things get tough, we lapse into the same habits as our forebears.
The most striking example from recent times is the COVID-19 pandemic. As the new virus swept the globe, demand for psychics and fortune-tellers roe in tandem with infection rates. From the United States to Thailand, from India to the United Kingdom, people sought answers and comfort from supernatural sources while the world felt like it had turned upside down. The online directory Yelp reported a 74% increase in searches for mediums in 2020. Some psychics even confessed to turning away clients as they were unable to cope with the demand. People generally asked the same questions: about the health of themselves and their loved ones; whether they would survive financially, and when the chaos would end.
The same questions are asked in all times of stress, both personal and national. Google Trends shows searches for psychics peaked in the final weeks before the 2016 Brexit vote, and around key dates during the country’s exit from the European Union (there’s also a small but significant bump in searchers googling ‘money spell’). Mediums also saw an upsurge in business during the financial crash of 2008 (IBISWorld declared fortune-telling one of the few “recession proof” industries); and spiritualism and seances famously gained popularity during the First and Second World Wars. In my period of interest, there was a boom in astrology in 1640s England, when Britain was in the throes of civil war. Much like in modern spates of social upheaval, astrologers like the Londoner William Lillie were consulted about who might flounder and who survive, and when and how the trauma would end.
At first glance, turning to a medium can look like an act of surrender: of accepting that we are not the masters of our fates. But that is rarely the case. Rather, magic becomes one tool in our arsenal for coping. Knowing the future is one aspect of this; another is casting spells to bring about a desired outcome. We saw this happen in modern times with the “Witches against Trump” movement (and the prayer circles organised to counter the witches’ spells). What’s fascinating, though, is that those taking part in such rituals didn’t just rely on supernatural skills: they wove them into a wider blanket of action that encompassed things like campaigning and voting. This is an often overlooked aspect of magic—it’s not the same as mere wishful thinking. It is an active effort to take control of the situation, and as such most magical practitioners will use the supernatural alongside other methods to make their lives better. This is true of the past as well—Tyrry, the fairy healer, administered well-chosen herbs to her patients alongside her incantations; Dardus used his position as a priest to investigate his parishioners. Ultimately, magic has always been one tool among many in people’s arsenals to make life bearable.
Of course, there is a darker side to magic in times of crisis. Difficult situations can bring out the best and worst in people, especially when fear sets in. Soldiers bought protective amulets during the English Civil War, but they also accused neighbours of malevolent witchcraft. The stress caused by the social divisions and trauma of the war led to the single biggest witch hunt in English history, with three hundred accused and over 100 executed. On this side of the Atlantic, the Salem Witch Trials saw over 200 people accused and at least 20 deaths. People’s fears during the COVID-19 pandemic also led to terrible acts: the United Nations reported an increase in ritualised murder as some people’s body parts were harvested for magical cures.
It's easy to think that we’re different to our ancestors. But when things go wrong, for good or ill, we still make room for magic in our lives. It’s one of several strategies people use to survive, and it is, in itself, not a bad thing. In fact, our reliance on magical thinking is something fundamentally human that deserves to be recognised. We are creatures who need hope and a feeling of control. Perhaps magic is just a mental and spiritual crutch—but it’s a surprisingly powerful and constant one.
Germán & Co's art captivates with creativity, originality, and passion, inviting viewers into a beautiful world of imagination and innovation.
Is Milei real, or is he a fictional character?
"It's not easy for someone to defy the norm and be unpredictable in times of predictability."
El País, Martín Caparrós, 20 May 2024
…”Spain is perhaps living in one of the most complex post-Franco periods in its history. Aside from a bark queen who has taken half the world to the river (according to her own lover, Don Jaime del Burgo), there is also a king who is called "calzonudo" because of all the horns that have been put on him.[WE1] The president of a government has dared to sign unimaginable pacts to remain in power, even an amnesty law that pardons all acts of terrorism committed on the peninsula. And as if these were not enough, his wife is accused of influence peddling. In addition, Spanish society has been shaken by a confessed murder (with dismemberment) committed by a Spanish citizen in the exotic country of Thailand. And to top it all off, the psychedelic president of Argentina, Javier Milei, arrives. Milei has set the country on fire even more on his recent visit, with insults to the president of the government and his wife.
Today, in Spain, no one is talking about Vox and its 15,000 comparsas in the bullring. Everyone is talking about the foolishness of an unbridled man who doesn't know how to shut his mouth when he has to.
Milei works at surprising, astonishing, and plunging us into perplexity. We often don't know what to think in front of him. Doubt advances, cruel and mocking.
Indeed, in these times of predictability, it's no small feat for someone to defy the norm and be unpredictable. Yet as the saying goes, the worst accidents are often the most unexpected. But beyond this, the debate that rages on is simple: Does he act on his own volition, or do circumstances drive him? Is it his choice, or is it fate?
We are talking about his violence, rudeness, and insistence on insulting anyone who does not pay him homage. He has done so with politicians and journalists, of course, but also with friends or former friends, economists of his ilk, the millionaires of Davos, the Pope, several heads of state – he called Colombia's Petro "a terrorist murderer"; Brazil's Lula, "communist and corrupt"; Mexico's López, "an ignoramus" – and so on.
Some argue that his aggressive demeanour is a calculated strategy. On one hand, it sets him apart from other politicians, whom he refers to as "the caste", and aligns him with the deep-seated anger of millions of Argentines after years of disappointment. They say the strategy makes him a "terrorist" to his critics and a "hero" to his supporters.
On the other hand, so much mephitic noise distracts his compatriots and the rest of the world from the disastrous situation in which Argentina remains under his mandate: a recession of 30% or 40%, tens of thousands of layoffs, increasing hunger and misery, an unhinged administration, and an inflation of 8% a month, which he celebrates as low. That the world talks about him for his outbursts – and that some even celebrate it – is his best trick so we don't see what he does when he is silent. It would be a way of exercising political power based on the distraction provided by verbal violence, the disdain for those who are different, and the call for their ultimacy: something that is becoming increasingly common because it pays dividends because more voters and people are willing to follow those outbursts.
I wish it were so. If only he were a phoney who deceives and manipulates us with his outbursts. The other option is more worrying: Mr Milei cannot act otherwise. As his stories of childhood and youth suggested and as his tales of dead dogs talking to God and promising him the presidency confirmed, this is his nature: a confused, angry man incapable of complying with specific basic rules of coexistence that any being should respect. In short, he is a man who talks to himself and who does not manage to go from television buffoon to president because his personality was perfect for the former and unsustainable for the latter.
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A power connection is seen on a solar panel situated inside the Qcells plant located in Dalton, Georgia. This photograph, captured by MIKE STEWART for the ASSOCIATED PRESS, showcases the innovative energy infrastructure in place at the facility.The Solar Breakthrough That Could Help the U.S. Competing With China
Biggest investor in U.S. solar manufacturing will use new technology to cut costs
WSJ By Amrith Ramkumar, May 30, 2024
The biggest investor in U.S. solar manufacturing is embracing a new technology that reduces the cost of producing the panels, potentially bolstering efforts to build a supply chain outside of China for an industry crucial to the energy transition.
The new technology comes from an Israeli startup that promises to simplify one of the most cumbersome steps in solar manufacturing and cut costs by reducing the amount of silver needed to capture sunlight on the panels.
The startup, called Lumet, is the brainchild of Benny Landa, who founded the company that developed the first digital printing press. That company was sold to HP for $830 million in the early 2000s. Lumet is working with Bank of America to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming months, Landa said.
South Korea’s Hanwha Group says it will be the first company to use Lumet’s technology. Hanwha’s Qcells unit, one of the biggest solar-panel makers outside China, is building a multibillion-dollar solar supply chain in Georgia. The company expects the financial savings and performance gains to help it compete with low-cost products from the world’s biggest producer.
A power connection on a solar panel inside the Qcells plant in Dalton, Ga. PHOTO: MIKE STEWART/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Qcells is expected to be one of the biggest potential beneficiaries from incentives in the 2022 U.S. climate law and a recently announced tariff increase on Chinese solar cells. The company said recently it is closing its only factory in China.
Chinese solar panels can be half the price of panels made elsewhere, industry analysts say, putting pressure on companies to cut costs. “We know we can’t depend on trade barriers or subsidies to make us competitive,” Danielle Merfeld, global chief technology officer at Qcells, said in an interview. “We have to keep innovating.”
Plummeting costs have made solar power one of the cheapest and fastest-growing sources of energy globally. Further advances can reduce the need for fossil fuels to meet rising demand for electricity and help limit climate change.
Solar panels account for a small portion of overall project costs, but bigger contributors like labor, permitting and financing expenses are less flexible.
The main building blocks in solar panels are polysilicon wafers, which are treated with chemicals and silver to produce solar cells that can collect energy from the sun. Those cells are connected to get finished modules.
The step that uses silver and is being overhauled by Lumet is called metallization. It is one of the most expensive parts of cell assembly. The process uses screen printing techniques that rely on squeegeeing a silver paste through a mesh screen in a process similar to stenciling, then drying it out. The silver is coated on the cell in ultrathin shapes, known as fingers, for capturing sunlight.
Making the fingers as thin and efficient as possible has been critical to reducing solar costs because silver is expensive. Prices for the precious metal have recently risen to their highest level in more than a decade—above $32 a troy ounce—buoyed in part by strong solar demand.
Current printing techniques have reached their limit, Lumet says. The company coats the surface of plastic films with silver paste in precise patterns. That film then gets pressed onto preheated solar cells. The elevated temperatures make the pattern stick on the cell, so the film can then be peeled off.
The process can produce thinner silver fingers that use less metal and are specially placed to increase the amount of light captured by each solar cell, Lumet says. Eliminating bulky screen printing and drying equipment and automating the process in a single machine generates cost savings and performance gains on each cell, it claims.
The company is talking to other potential customers and plans to establish factories in the U.S. and China to begin production next year, Landa said.
Qcells has been testing Lumet’s process for nine months and talking to the company for two years. Qcells declined to provide specifics on when it would deploy the technology at specific factories and the overall cost reductions it is targeting.
Its $2.5 billion Georgia supply-chain effort is on track to be completed by the end of the year and will supply big customers including Microsoft. Expanded module assembly is up and running, with ingot and wafer production expected to start by September and cell production to follow by December, Merfeld said.