Participation Active’s Post

Courtesy of Canadian independent investigative journalist Dan Knight. "Watching Meeting No. 36 of the Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship was like stepping into a world where common sense has left the building. We've got a lab in Winnipeg, Canada's only high-security virology institute, embroiled in what's essentially a spy movie plot, except it’s real life. Two scientists, Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng, get shown the door over what? Allegedly sending deadly viruses to China. The stuff of nightmares, right?" Dan goes on to discuss the ensuing Q&A with insights of his own, and concludes with the following. "The more I witness the complacency and the ideological rigidity of those at the helm, the more I’m convinced of the need for a seismic shift in our political landscape. It’s not just about choosing between left and right anymore; it’s about choosing between sense and sensibility versus reckless disregard for the principles that have kept our nation strong. Is handing the reins over to the conservatives with a supermajority the solution? It's a question that weighs heavily on many minds, mine included. However, the status quo is untenable. The upcoming election isn't just another cycle; it's a crossroads for Canada. A time for us, the electorate, to stand up and remind those in power that they serve at our pleasure, not the other way around. We are at a moment of reckoning. A moment where every vote is a statement, every voice a clarion call for leaders who place the well-being of Canada and its people above partisan politics and personal gain. The parties currently in power would do well to remember their duty to the electorate, lest they find themselves relics of a bygone era, swept away by a public that demands and deserves better."

How timely

Into prevention? Then attend the best conference on prevention in Europe!

Don't miss a timely and thought-provoking discussion on The Washington Outsider #Report on Coalition Radio with Dr. Elizabeth Weiss, a professor of anthropology who gives us an inside glance on the practical MISapplications of indigenous knowledge and repatriation of Native American remains and artifacts, including the revised regulations to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) which went into effect January 12, 2024, setting a five-year deadline for museums and Federal agencies to consult and update inventories of human remains and associated objects, among other changes. We also discuss the penetration of "indigenous knowledge" regulations into a wide range of federal frameworks, impacting everything from the courts to the food, health, and infectious disease regulation. Interestingly enough, shortly after recording this segment I ended up at an American Bar Association conference talk which discussed the use of Native Americans as expert and other types of witnesses and courts and other issues related to indigenous knowledge, and my takeaway was that without a question there are instances when that type of expertise is very appropriate and valuable and can complement the gaps in information among other scientists and other types of experts. However, the discussion with Dr. Weiss sheds light on the instances where the law attempts to provide a remedy for past shortcomings in ways that are remarkably ill-suited to the existing frameworks, making it very difficult to separate the various instances where indigenous concerns, expertise, and cultural guidances are inherently helpful and instances where the federal law overreaches in its enthusiasm for embracing these cultural differences and ends up imposing more harm than good on all involved. The worst part is when very broad and complicated issues end up being mostly resolved based on the pressure exerted by activists. And when wokism and self-flagellation enter the picture, all good intentions end up backfiring and paving the road to hell instead

New Research | In ‘Hyperspectral discrimination of Eichhornia crassipes covers, in the red edge and near infrared in a Mediterranean river’ Ghoussein et al. used hyperspectral data to map E. crassipes populations under various conditions. bit.ly/44AvZvE

Lots of brainpower in LA the week of WGC! The INTERA team has prepared some awesome, informative presentations and panel discussions. I especially wanted to shoutout Steven Humphrey, PG's presentation (Tuesday) on Seequent's Leapfrog 3D modelling software. As a non-modeler who translates results and analyses from groundwater models, Leapfrog has been a game changer to help me visualize and understand the work. More importantly, it helps stakeholders and clients visualize the groundwater model as well, shrinking the "black box" effect. From this, we've been able to better incorporate local interpretation and expertise from non-modelers. Side bonus - Steven is an effective and applied presenter, so you'll get the info you need!

Introducing MaGPIE: Mass Grave Protection, Investigation and Engagement with speakers Prof. Melanie Klinkner and Emily Fisher This seminar will introduce the research project MaGPIE that underscores the prevalence of mass graves both globally and throughout history, whilst also underlining the atrocities that often occur alongside such outcomes. The MaGPIE project seeks to answer the following question: How can a comprehensive and universally applicable human rights framework for the protection and investigation of, and engagement with, mass graves be developed and achieved? The enormity of this question is not underestimated, and the project will span five-years, incorporating a number of workpackages that feed into the creation of such a pertinent and timely human rights framework. This presentation will give an overview of the magnitude of the problem, the theoretical gaps that require filling and what a corresponding policy framework will look like. It will then concentrate on the specific methodological steps adopted and employed to create a regularised, right-informed global map of mass grave. The rationale for this endeavour is clear: such a world-wide map attests to the impact of mass graves on those who are left behind and warrants capturing. For each body concealed in a mass grave, there is a family or community in anguish, waiting for their loved ones to be found, returned, and for justice to be done. Wed, 1st May, 4-5pm (UK time) https://lnkd.in/ezSbSeBU  Meeting ID: 828 1938 8776  Passcode: M+M^KpM9  

The poll conducted at the beginning of March by the Palestinian Center for Policy Survey Research (PCPSR) headed by Dr. Khalil Shikaki, and whose findings were published towards the end of March, highlights the consciousness of struggle and resistance in Palestinian society and its rigid and unwavering collective psychological foundations.  The poll results point to a worrying phenomenon among the Palestinian public: an armed struggle consciousness, support for the Hamas, weakness of the Palestinian Authority and support of the October 7 atrocities – as part of the collective psychological foundations of this population. Palestinian society upholds the idea of the elimination of the State of Israel by means of violence and terror, and of realizing the right of return as a goal that is more important than the establishment of an independent and functioning Palestinian state achieved by peaceful means. Therefore, any progress towards the vision of two nation states, peacefully living side by side, requires deep and profound change in the collective psychological foundations of Palestinian society and its leaders. The poll results show that we still have a long way to go and are still very far from the hoped-for change.  https://lnkd.in/dRYPxTj7

New Research | In 'Rapid recovery of invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations following density reduction', James E. Garabedian and John C. Kilgo monitored recovery of two wild pig populations immediately following density reductions via trapping. Learn more: https://bit.ly/48X4yhI