Austin Valley’s death exposed the Army’s most urgent challenge: a suicide crisis among soldiers in peacetime.
An extremely important article. Gifted, no paywall.
Austin Valley’s death exposed the Army’s most urgent challenge: a suicide crisis among soldiers in peacetime.
An extremely important article. Gifted, no paywall.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: HCAD Runoff Elections; League City to discuss battery storage facilities, capital improvement projects; $122M in facility upgrades planned for Harris County jails; What’s in Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion bond plan? Here are 5 key takeaways.; Texas shrimpers are dying at a staggering rate. Houston researchers think they know why.; ERCOT says Texas could face rolling blackouts in August, as Houston officials announce cooling centers; Gov. Abbott tells Texas universities to disregard new Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students; OPINION: Justices Sotomayor and Kagan must retire now; Some US lawmakers call for more scrutiny of news app NewsBreak over Chinese origins; OPINION: What are the implications of Hamas holding hostages in Gaza civilian homes? – Analysis; Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking (Part 4);
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: HCAD Runoff Elections; Whitmire wants Montrose TIRZ to pay $11.5M for renovation of library outside of the zone; Millions more salaried workers will be eligible for overtime pay under final Biden administration rule; Immigration Measure Added to the Ballot in Arizona; A Chill Has Fallen Over Jews in Publishing; E-waste from trashed electric devices is piling up and recycling isn’t keeping pace, UN says; Our landfills are destroying the Earth, study shows; Extraction of raw materials to rise by 60% by 2060, says UN report; Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking (Part 3);
If “ALIEN” was a haunted house movie in space, and if “ALIENS” was an action shoot-em-up movie, then “Alien: Romulus” looks (from the trailer in the article linked below) like a full-on gory horror movie.
This would not be (and forgive the pun) alien to the first film in the franchise. There were scenes filmed for “ALIEN” that were every bit horror/gore material, but with the exception of the chest-bursting scene in the first film, all that was cut out, leaving what was a hugely suspenseful film with lots of jump-scares but very little actual gore. That proved to be a hugely successful choice, as history has proven.
The article says that this film is intended to fit into canon between “ALIEN” and ALIENS”. From a continuity standpoint, that could make it really interesting. But as someone who really doesn’t like horror movies that test your slasher-and-gore tolerance, I have my concerns based on the trailer.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/alien-romulus-trailer-brings-the-chest-bursting-horror-back-to-space/
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: Runoff Elections; Around $50M needed for water infrastructure, Conroe city staff members say; Water systems warn Americans could soon see major rate hikes to filter out toxic ‘forever chemicals’; Whitmire on transportation pause: ‘We will not sacrifice general mobility for recreation’; Houston-area customers will cover CenterPoint’s $100 million-plus power restoration costs after deadly storm; Passenger on United flight to Fresno had measles, officials confirm; Hey, America, here’s what’s actually going on with the economy; Republican-appointed University of Wisconsin regent refuses to step down when term ends; President warns new army officers to be ‘guardians of American democracy’; Kevin O’Leary’s dystopian fantasy of ruining the lives of campus protesters; [Tory] Conservatives want to bring back compulsory national service; Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking (Part 2); More
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: May 28th Election Runoffs; Officials target landlords who ‘abandoned’ disabled seniors during Houston power outage; Texas power prices briefly soar 1,600% as a spring heat wave is expected to drive record demand for energy; Texas’ Avoidable Blackout; Raw milk sales spike despite CDC’s warnings of risk associated with bird flu; Israel has no plan for Gaza after Hamas rule, the Israeli defense chief says; Israel’s government would be foolish to dismiss Arab League’s Manama Declaration – opinion; Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking (Part One); More
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: Primary Runoff Elections’ Info, Scheduled For May 28th; From taxes to cuts, here’s what Houston’s budget proposal could bring; Mayor Whitmire unveils $6.7 billion proposed budget for new year – with no tax hikes or garbage fee; Houston ISD superintendent accused of funneling tax dollars out of state; Galveston County redistricting case draws divide among federal appeals court judges; Democrats call for special session in letter to Gov. Greg Abbott after drastic school budget cuts; ‘My whole library is wiped out’: what it means to own movies and TV in the age of streaming services; U.S. offers aid as Zelensky drops foreign trip due to Russian advance; In Talks With Putin, Xi Hails ‘Powerful Driving Force’ of Cooperation; “Convince us to stay”: U.S.-China ties see head-spinning shift; U.S. Accuses Chinese Hackers of Targeting Critical Infrastructure in America; China’s economy is headed for a ‘dead-end,’ and Beijing won’t do anything to stop it, scholar says; China vows to safeguard its territorial integrity after South China Sea incident; US Commander Warns China Is Fast Becoming More Aggressive in Region;
I originally wrote this on May 05, 2011 and was sure I had published it. Maybe I did and in my clunky use of WordPress, I accidentally UNpublished it, but in any case, here it is.
The inspiration for the article was a petition on Change(dot)org entitled, “Tell HarperCollins: Limited Checkouts on eBooks is Wrong for Libraries“.
For the record, I do buy eBooks now because I can read them in the dark on my phone without disturbing my wife, but I do it with the full kjnowledge that I don’t actually own them. It’s more like a long-term conditional lease.
Mike (May 15, 2024)
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; Primary Runoff Elections’ Info, Scheduled For May 28th; Disaster property tax exemptions, permitting fee waivers available for Montgomery County residents; League City residents oppose battery storage facility; City Council vote postponed; Whitmire says it’s the dawn of a new era with Texas Land Commissioner as hurricane season nears; Survey: Nearly half of Houston-area residents with low-to-moderate incomes consider electricity bills unaffordable; Mangroves, expanding with the warming climate, are re-shaping the Texas coast; Exxon to take 18-24 months to hit full stride with Pioneer purchase; ‘The world has changed’: WeChat, snakeheads and the new era of global migration; Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West’s possible deepening role in Ukraine; Israel raids Al Jazeera office as Netanyahu government votes to shut channel down; Hamas attacks Israel-Gaza border crossing as cease-fire talks appear to fizzle; Former Hamas terrorist: Hamas ceasefire proposal is a trap; US sends land-attack missile system to Philippines for exercises in apparent message to China;
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: May 4th HCAD and Runoff Elections; OPINION: Timeline unclear for next steps in Grand Parkway loop though Fort Bend, Brazoria counties; Plans develop for improving Freedmen’s Town streets with focus on historic bricks; Mayor Whitmire, Judge Hidalgo. Judge Hidalgo, Mayor Whitmire.; EPA to track source of chemicals in Greater Fifth Ward that exceed screening levels; Report: Texas summers will keep getting hotter, drier; The century-old transmission line is getting a 21st century upgrade; FTC votes to ban most employers from using noncompete clauses. But legal challenge is expected, The Supreme Court’s Five Male Justices Are Fully in the Tank for Trump; Kremlin Disputes Report Putin Didn’t Order Navalny’s Death; Undersea ‘hybrid warfare’ threatens security of 1bn, Nato commander warns; US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia’s ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says; Russia’s adapting air defenses means Ukraine’s new F-16s are an example of weapons that are ‘no longer relevant:’ senior Ukrainian officer; US finds Israeli units committed human rights abuses before Gaza war;
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; HCAD and Runoff Elections; OPINION: It’s Time to End the Quiet Cruelty of Property Taxes; Hidalgo warning: Houstonians in peril due to strained relationship with mayor; ‘Do better’: Texas park calls out visitors for trampling bluebonnets; Tennessee Volkswagen employees overwhelmingly vote to join United Auto Workers union; Disneyland performers file petition to form labor union; Price to Plug Old Wells in Gulf of Mexico? $30 Billion, Study Says.; US Steel’s shareholders just voted to end more than a century of American ownership. It may not matter; Nippon Steel faces twin hurdles to U.S. Steel deal: labor and regulators; US mulling sanctions against other IDF units for alleged rights violations – sources; Chinese Company Under Congressional Scrutiny Makes Key U.S. Drugs; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; Mike’s Health Update; Dozens of Texas water systems exceed new federal limits on “forever chemicals”; Governors of six Southern states warn workers against joining UAW union; DeSantis signs bill ending push in Miami-Dade to pass worker heat protections; Google blocks some California news as fight over online journalism bill escalates; Senate Democrats issue subpoena in Supreme Court ethics probe; Former RNC chair dissects Ronna McDaniel’s NBC ouster; The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states; Biden Administration Raises Costs to Drill and Mine on Public Lands; Japan, Philippines, US rebuke China over ‘dangerous’ South China Sea moves; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
Apologies for the absence of an original episode of Thinkwing Radio this week. I was hospitalized, but I’ve now been released with my issues under control, and hope to have an original episode for the week starting April 17.
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information;
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
FROM MIKE: This episode was recorded on March 6, but for technical reasons was never broadcast. I believe that the stories and commentaries included are still applicable to current events. I hope you find it interesting.
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; March 12 Conventions; League City officials talk growth, resident satisfaction at State of the City breakfast; HISD kids still not getting the Internet access they lost; Mayor Whitmire and Judge Lina Hidalgo still haven’t officially met; Voters in new Alabama congressional district given incorrect poll information; Hard Lessons Make for Hard Choices 2 Years Into the War in Ukraine; Warren Buffett’s son Howard has given $500M to Ukraine — he warns the US is making a historic mistake by pulling its support; NATO navies can exploit a Russian fear and keep Putin from invading more neighbors; Israel may have just torched its relationship with Russia, promising to supply Ukraine with ‘early-warning systems’; CNN staff say network’s pro-Israel slant amounts to ‘journalistic malpractice’; More
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; League City officials to vote on flag design at City Council meeting; Houston childcare facilities eligible to receive new property tax exemption; T-Squared: Associated Press, Texas Tribune to share select news content in new collaboration; Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is two House votes away from passing school vouchers; Cities across the U.S. are abandoning bus stations. This East Texas town is embracing its bustling depot.; Ken Paxton agrees to community service, paying restitution to avoid trial in securities fraud case; Court challenge from Texas AG Ken Paxton could end Austin’s light-rail plans; Texas energy companies are betting hydrogen can become a cleaner fuel for transportation; Utah lawmaker blames DEI for Baltimore bridge collapse despite cargo ship collision; Takeaways from the Supreme Court arguments over the abortion drug mifepristone; Chinese property developer Evergrande faces a $120 billion fraud accusation and its chairman is barred for life. Here’s what we know so far; Cleanup of China Evergrande collapse calls for coordination and clarity; US says falling trade with China could be positive; New research finds that ancient carbon in rocks releases as much carbon dioxide as the world’s volcanoes; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who voted with Republicans on anti-LGBTQ+ bills, headed to likely primary runoff; Getting revenge is the best revenge; Is TikTok different in China? Here’s what to know; Swedes cheer end of long wait to join Nato; Biden admin announces new weapons package for Ukraine following months of warnings there was no money left; Russia [is] producing three times more artillery shells than US and Europe [Combined] for Ukraine; How Russia has avoided bankrupting itself after 2 years of waging war in Ukraine; Russia’s economy is so driven by the war in Ukraine that it cannot afford to either win or lose, economist says; US says falling trade with China could be positive; As Vietnam grows ties with U.S., a secret directive seeks to gird the Communist Party; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; Eyeing erosion: Brazos River projects gain state, federal funding; Montrose Management District returns, vexing some business owners; Amid white supremacist scandal, far-right billionaire powerbrokers see historic election gains in Texas; Texas counties, EPA respond to attorney general’s lawsuit on new federal climate policy; Why National Guard troops are being deployed in New York’s subways; Gender, race among factors that led to ousting of eight Houston-area judges in Democratic primary; Katie Porter prepared for the wrong war; DeSantis faces pushback in Florida as voters tire of war on woke; Biden denounces Trump for $2tn tax cuts as he unveils budget plan; Who Are the Gangs That Have Overrun Haiti’s Capital?; Swedes cheer end of long wait to join Nato; Biden admin announces new weapons package for Ukraine following months of warnings there was no money left; More
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; March 12 Conventions; League City officials talk growth, resident satisfaction at State of the City breakfast; HISD kids still not getting the Internet access they lost; Mayor Whitmire and Judge Lina Hidalgo still haven’t officially met; Voters in new Alabama congressional district given incorrect poll information; Hard Lessons Make for Hard Choices 2 Years Into the War in Ukraine; Warren Buffett’s son Howard has given $500M to Ukraine — he warns the US is making a historic mistake by pulling its support; NATO navies can exploit a Russian fear and keep Putin from invading more neighbors; Israel may have just torched its relationship with Russia, promising to supply Ukraine with ‘early-warning systems’; CNN staff say network’s pro-Israel slant amounts to ‘journalistic malpractice’; More
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; March 5 Primary Elections; A 13-county Gulf Coast regional air pollution, emission reduction plan advances; Consumers are tired of inflation. But some retailers fear falling prices; Natural Gas News: Cautious Optimism Amid Production Adjustments; Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?; Hungary’s parliament clears path for Sweden’s Nato membership; Nord Stream: Denmark closes investigation into pipeline blast; Confiscating Russia’s assets would send negative signal, says central bank; China Deflation Alarms Raised by Falling Prices for Food and Cars; Why landing on the moon is proving more difficult today than 50 years ago; Brazil’s ex-leader Bolsonaro surrenders passport over coup probe;
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; March 5 Primary; REGISTER TO VOTE; League City seeks resident input on future development through new digital tool; Bellaire mayor talks drainage, commercial development in State of the City conversation; After bruising loss in Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces her toughest reelection yet; In her reelection bid, Rep. Shawn Thierry tests whether Democrats will tolerate anti-LGBTQ votes; ‘Zombie Offices’ Spell Trouble for Some Banks;
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; REGISTER TO VOTE; March 5 Primary Elections; Humble Police Department releases 2023 racial profiling report; Tomball City Council decides against sending term limits to voters during second vote; Houston City Council members pioneer ATV community patrols. Could it be a citywide model?; Designer Line Up for Indigenous Fashion Week Announced; Sweden Closes Investigation of Pipeline Blasts, but Stays Silent on Cause; Industry pain abounds as electric car demand hits slowdown; Solar Power Isn’t Over Yet; More. Continue reading
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; REGISTER TO VOTE; March 5 Primary Elections; [6 more] events throughout Greater Houston that celebrate Black History Month; Friendswood officials discuss city policy for short-term rentals; Friendswood City Center, 106-acre mixed-use development, expected to break ground in 2024; ‘A major problem’: Fort Bend ISD bond running $133M over budget, drawing school board’s ire; Gates installed on Bissonnet Street in latest, ongoing efforts to curb crime on infamous SW Houston ‘Track’; Investors meet at Houston summit to discuss how to strengthen Texas’ power grid; Oglala Sioux Tribe Bans South Dakota Governor From the Pine Ridge Reservation; Nebraska Tribes and Native Voters Come Out On Top in Redistricting Lawsuit; Oklahoma Supreme Court Hears Case to Determine if Tribal Members Will Pay State Taxes; Orbán’s party boycotts a session of Hungary’s parliament to further stall Sweden’s bid to join NATO; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: VOTETEXAS.GOV—Voter Information; REGISTER TO VOTE; March 5 Primary Elections; “What’s on my Ballot?”; See how TxDOT has adjusted plans for proposed I-10 elevation; HPD adjusts body-worn camera policies with goal of recovering more footage; Texas’ standoff with the feds in Eagle Pass is igniting calls for secession and fears of violence; What’s happened since California cut home solar payments? Demand has plunged 80%; The U.S. just sold its helium stockpile. Here’s why the medical world is worried.; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
AUDIO:
POSSIBLE TOPICS: March 5 Primary Elections; “What’s on my Ballot?”; Changes underway at Missouri City intersection as commercial, multifamily development picks up; ‘A significant milestone:’ Carverdale landfill expansion request withdrawn; Here’s why the post office says your mail is stuck in Missouri City; Trump is turning to racism to mock Nikki Haley’s Indian name. Experts say it could backfire.; US appeals court revives Mexico’s $10bn lawsuit against gunmakers; China says experts “cracked” Apple AirDrop encryption to prevent “transmission of inappropriate information”; Xi Jinping sparks mutiny from within own military as WW3 fears erupt over Taiwan invasion; State Department responds to Putin on Alaska: ‘Certainly he’s not getting it back’; More.
Now in our 11th year on KPFT!
Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig (@ThinkwingRadio) is now on Wednesdays at 11AM (CT) or Thursdays at 6PM on KPFT 90.1 FM-HD2, Houston’s Community Media. You can also hear the show: