Musings

By Dake Kang AP Photo/Dake Kang Huawei's Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping speaks at a press conference at the company's headquarters in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong province, Thursday, June 27, 2019. Chinese tech giant Huawei has warned a U.S. proposal to block the company from pursuing damages in the country's patent courts would be a "catastrophe for global innovation." Chinese tech giant Huawei warned Thursday a U.S. senator's proposal to block the company from pursuing damages in patent courts would be a "catastrophe for global innovation." More at Phys.org Opinion: Patents were suppose to encourage innovation. But thanks to US courts, it became a means of protection only. Now we see the consequences of patent trolls: the breaking of the patents system. If this bill is passed, China will retaliate by not allowing US firms to pursue patent litigation in its own country, which will expand to the point where nob...

By Sarah Buchanan Premier Ford is forcing gas station owners in Ontario to put up misleading anti-carbon tax stickers by August 30th. These stickers deliberately hide the truth by leaving out any mention of carbon tax rebates, and by failing to mention the devastating impacts of the climate crisis we are facing. More at Environmental Defence

By Yessenia Funes HBO Following the incident, the school held an assembly to hear parents’ concerns. Everyone learns about climate change eventually—even children. And especially children in Monterey, California, home to one of the nation’s most incredible conservation-focused aquariums. So it was fitting that the latest episode of Big Little Lies, HBO’s hit drama that takes place in Monterey, revolved around climate change. Though topics like sustainable seafood and emissions came up, the most interesting theme this episode delved into is how learning about climate change can impact a child’s mental health. And the show raised an important question: Is there such a thing as “too soon” to talk to your kid about climate change? More at Earther - Gizmodo

By Kristen Lee Sean Gallup (Getty Images) Europe is currently bracing for a scorching heat wave that’s started this week. Temperatures are expected to hit 109 degrees Fahrenheit and government officials are taking extra safety precautions. Germany, in particular, has imposed temporary speed limits on the Autobahn and other roads. More

By Maddie Stone NASA Earth Observatory The Nares Strait, open for business in mid-May. Every summer as the Arctic warms up, seasonal highways open on the ocean, allowing sea ice to migrate southward and melt. Now, satellite data is revealing that the gateway to one critical highway—the Nares Strait dividing northwest Greenland and Canada’s Ellesmere Island—has broken up months ahead of schedule. And that could spell even more trouble for the Arctic’s oldest and most critically-endangered sea ice. More at Earther - Gizmodo

By Megan Bradley AP Photo/Hani Mohammed Displaced Yemeni girls, who fled their home because of fighting at the port city of Hodeida, are seen in a school allocated for IDPs in Sanaa, Yemen. Record-breaking years for refugee flows have become the norm. UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, just released its annual tally of displacement worldwide. Once again the numbers rose, with 70.8 million people displaced by conflict and violence — more than at any point since the Second World War. More at The Conversation

By Michael Geist Mind the gap by Kristian Dye My recent series reviewing the Industry Committee’s copyright review (process, evidence, witness balance, citation) was about more that just why the decision to ignore the Canadian Heritage committee study on artist remuneration was justified. The series provides a data-backed assessment of the quality of the consultation of the respective committees, which is inextricably linked to their final recommendations. The better process is important because when comparing the recommendations from the two committees, the Industry committee consistently provided deeper analysis even in areas where there was agreement. The better analysis is not a coincidence: better process generates better policy and the Industry committee engaged in broader consultations in which it heard both from more creators and more users than Heritage. More at Michael Geist