#scaling challenges in distributed systems

[acquaintsofttech]

Aiding Common Scalability Issues via Vertical vs. Horizontal Scaling

Introduction

Common scalability issues compelled businesses to embrace cloud scalability-based mechanisms as best practices for scalable system architecture. The digital world is shifting toward cloud scalability measures.

For example, by 2027, the biggest investors in public cloud services will be banking, software, and telecommunication services. A combined market value of $326 billion is estimated as the spending amount.

That’s a huge number to ignore the importance of scalability and server scaling within a system!

In this blog, we will explore the basics and specialities of server scaling, its types and architecture, and how to choose the ideal ones for your business.

What Is Server Scaling and Why It’s Crucial?

Scaling a system, or say a server, is enhancing its ability to handle the increased work demands efficiently. It’s useful for quite a number of different scenarios. Comparing cloud-native solutions for scalability can be a beneficial way to sort out the real-time solution in this case. Or else you can take up common real-world examples of digital business, like —

An e-commerce store may face common scalability issues in software development if they do not manage the increased traffic when a surge condition appears during festivals.

A new product launch may see intense traffic spikes as more visitors surf the site. As more traffic zooms, businesses are expected to incorporate better network optimization strategies for scalable applications.

How Does Server Scaling Work?

It depends on how much better you are at understanding database scalability and its measures. A system processing large data volumes needs effective scalability methods to maintain processes efficiently without hindering its core functionalities. Managing all these can be challenging in the first place.

Hence, you must adopt smarter scaling measures to resolve common scalability issues in software development. Making the server scalable allows its capacity to increase in such a way that it can perform more tasks without compromising its architecture.

There are two ways to scale a server: vertically and horizontally. Choosing the right one depends upon the system’s priorities and workload.

Decoding Horizontal Scaling and Vertical Scaling

To address common scalability issues in software development, businesses can adopt either one of these two scaling ways, or both of them according to their priorities. Here we are decoding both the scaling measures for your convenience —

Horizontal scaling technique —

Works: By adding more servers to the source configuration, known as a server cluster.

In this process, a system can add additional nodes to its existing infrastructure to manage the increased work demands. It proves a solution for the host system if they are running out of serving to the traffic demands. Multiple nodes distribute the work evenly to perform more tasks in an efficient manner.

Vertical scaling technique —

Works: By replacing an entire server with an upgraded one.

Opposite to horizontal, vertical scaling operates by adding more hardware resources to the current server. It involves updating a single server by empowering its current machinery. Businesses can vertically scale every resource like CPU, memory, storage, or network speed.

Similarities: Horizontal Scaling and Vertical Scaling

Be it either scaling type, both hold significant similarities in software development. Here, we will talk about such similarities in detail.

Enhanced system processing.

The very first of the common scalability issues in software development solved by scaling is providing an improvised system processing. It helps businesses to securely host their systems and store sensitive data.

Maximize cost-effectiveness and profitability.

Businesses often experience high budget overruns as common scalability issues in software development. With rapid expansion, businesses must optimize their cost-effectiveness to stay relevant in the market. Scaling helps the system to manage heavy loads efficiently by cutting infrastructure costs.

Improved business flexibility.

Opting in for cloud scalability-based system mechanisms increases its flexibility, indeed. Scaling allows businesses to address operational challenges and cope with foreseeable business demands.

Reduced response time.

With time, businesses started to adopt auto-scaling mechanisms involving horizontal and vertical scenarios. One of the common scalability issues in software development is dealing with idle system responses or delays. Opting for cloud scalability as an option minimizes the average response time taken by any business to address customer/user queries.

By implementing either scaling mechanism, any system or business is sure to experience such amenities. But you also need to understand which type of scaling will suit your business better.

So for this, we are giving a whole comparison table featuring the most important differences between horizontal scaling and vertical scaling, as under —

Differences: Horizontal Scaling vs. Vertical Scaling

Bottom line

Choosing between horizontal and vertical scaling must depend upon your system’s priorities, architecture, and common scalability issues associated with it. Before adopting either scaling, understand the characteristics of each option and identify its suitability for your existing system. Every system shows some important signs to scale, and you only need to be smart enough to identify them to resolve it.

Vertical scaling is straightforward, whereas horizontal scaling promises long-term scalability. You can choose either one to go ahead or adopt a combination of both to obtain the best system scalability results.

You can also consult a software expert from a reputed software product engineering company to understand the strengths and limitations of both in detail. It will surely help you make more informed decisions that align with your system’s needs in the meantime.

Thanks for reading the blog

[nyxtickled]

I kind of can't get over you studying freakin' *robotics engineering.* Now I'm picturing you as the cool engineer on some sci-fi show. Whaddaya think? Star Trek? Something with giant robots? Maybe something grittier and more cyberpunk?

Maybe this is making too light of what you're working so hard for. Follow-up and/or substitute question: what's one of your dream projects or goals? What kind of robot(s) does Nyx most want to create, or work on?

🥹🤭 awww jeez don’t make me all fricken bashful on main i’m supposed to be tough !!!! CYBERPUNK PLEASE AAAAH

ok ok but to answer seriously, so far in my academic career i’ve worked on autonomous cars (1/10 scale autonomous racecars built essentially from scratch, a full size autonomous EV gokart, and i’ve even been fortunate enough to work on a fully autonomous indy 500 car…essentially the most advanced autonomous vehicle in the world. shit was one of the most mind blowing things i’ve ever been a part of), i’ve worked on some cool solar stuff (solar water heater for an orphanage in Tijuana, solar carport concept design for a nonprofit who wants to propose the idea of charging EV cars while they’re parked outside at work all day and distributing leftover power to the building), and my personal favorite was this project i did for a class i took where i designed an autonomous campus rideshare prototype on one of the 1/10 scale cars that was able to use facial recognition to identify the student who requested the ride and would essentially drive itself to the drop off location!

the last one was the most fun for me bc it was the first time i really got into the programming side of robotics. the car would have a starting location where it waited for ride requests, then when you submitted one it would drive itself to the location using LiDAR for collision avoidance and GPS path training. but the real doozy was the pickup stage bc i had to develop the facial recognition code to be able to scan the student’s face upon arrival with computer vision in live time with a camera that was attached to the car, and then match it to a photo of the student that was stored in a database, and then try to match the name of that student to the name of the student who requested the ride! if it matched, the screen would be like “rider verified! hop in!” and proceed to the next stage of driving itself to the drop off point. if it didn’t, the screen would read “sorry, we couldn’t verify your identity with the ride request” and drive itself back to the parking spot where it would wait for the next ride request! and the database of faces would basically come from your student ID picture, cuz the rideshare service would be around campus for students only!

god it was so fucking challenging but i had so much fun with it. so uhhhh to avoid writing 18 more paragraphs about all the cool robotics shit that i’m obsessed with, i would say my dream project is definitely something that combines machine learning software, robotics operating systems programming, and mechanical design all in one. something that could take the technological advancements that we have made and turn it into something useful for everyone. fuck i’m such a nerd i’m sorry i did NOT mean to go on like this ahahahahaha

[darkmaga-returns]

The study acknowledges potential biases, such as self-selection (women avoiding vaccination to conceive), but notes that the overall fertility decline contradicts this explanation. Additionally, prior research has documented menstrual irregularities and ovarian impacts from mRNA vaccines, further supporting biological plausibility. The findings echo trends in Germany, Sweden, and the U.S., where post-vaccination fertility drops and increased miscarriages were reported.

Though not definitive proof of causation, the study underscores the need for urgent, large-scale investigations into COVID-19 vaccines’ reproductive effects. The data challenge official assurances of vaccine safety during pregnancy and highlight potential long-term demographic consequences.

A pattern of deception

Public health agencies have long insisted that COVID-19 vaccines pose no risk to fertility, despite zero long-term safety studies before mass deployment. Yet, emerging research tells a different story:

• A 2023 study found that mRNA vaccines destroy primordial follicles in rats, leading to irreversible ovarian damage—raising the specter of early menopause and sterility in women.

• Bio-distribution studies confirm that lipid nanoparticles, the delivery system for mRNA shots, accumulate in the ovaries, potentially triggering inflammation and cell death.

• The CDC and WHO continue to ignore mounting evidence, doubling down on recommendations for pregnant women—despite rising stillbirths and miscarriage reports worldwide.

The great cover-up

The Czech study’s authors cautiously note that their findings are “hypothesis-generating”—but the implications are dire. If mRNA vaccines are indeed depleting ovarian reserves, the consequences could be generational. Yet, instead of pausing vaccinations for further investigation, health authorities dismiss concerns as “misinformation.”

This is not the first time Big Pharma and regulators have betrayed women’s health. From the thalidomide scandal to the Dalkon Shield disaster, history is littered with examples of corporate negligence and regulatory capture. Now, with fertility rates crashing across the Western world, the question must be asked: Are we as a species being engineered for depopulation?

[churchofnix]

Hypothesis of Indeterminacy

No Quantum of Reality

Reality is not quantized; it's infinitely divisible. There is no fundamental "smallest" unit of space, time, or any other physical quantity.

Infinite Reality

The universe, at its core, is infinite. This could mean infinite in extent or infinitely divisible, or both.

Emergent Reality

Macroscopic properties and phenomena emerge from the interactions of infinite underlying components.

Statistical Probability

Due to the infinite nature of reality, every outcome is ultimately a statistical probability, leading to indeterminism.

Potential Criticisms and Counterarguments

- Criticism: Even if reality is infinitely divisible, couldn't it still be deterministic? If the laws of physics governing the infinitesimal components are deterministic, the overall system would also be deterministic.

- Counterargument: This assumes a "bottom-up" causality where the behavior of infinitesimal components rigidly determines macroscopic events. In an emergent system, the infinite interactions and complexity could lead to unpredictable outcomes. Think of it like this: even with deterministic rules (e.g., the laws of physics), if you have an infinite number of "players" (infinitesimal components) interacting in an infinite space, predicting the overall outcome with certainty becomes impossible. This is analogous to chaos theory, where even simple deterministic systems can exhibit unpredictable behavior due to their sensitivity to initial conditions.

- Criticism: Quantum mechanics already incorporates indeterminism. Your theory seems to just "push the problem down" to a sub-quantum level.

- Counterargument: Quantum mechanics introduces indeterminism at the Planck scale, but it still assumes a quantized reality at that level. This theory goes further, suggesting that even the Planck scale is not the fundamental limit. This leads to a deeper level of indeterminacy where the very concept of definite states and fixed laws may break down.

- Criticism: How can we make any predictions or have any scientific understanding in a completely indeterminate universe?

- Counterargument: Even in an indeterminate universe, patterns and probabilities can emerge. While specific events might be unpredictable, overall trends and statistical distributions can still be observed and studied. This is similar to how we understand weather patterns: we can't predict the exact path of a single raindrop, but we can make probabilistic forecasts about overall weather conditions.

- Criticism: Is there any evidence to support the idea of an infinitely divisible reality?

- Counterargument: Currently, there is no direct empirical evidence for or against the infinite divisibility of reality. However, the concept has a long history in philosophy and mathematics (e.g., Zeno's paradoxes). Furthermore, some theoretical frameworks, like certain interpretations of string theory or loop quantum gravity, hint at the possibility of a reality without a fundamental quantum.

The Infinity of a Circle

A circle is a continuous curve, meaning that there are no gaps or breaks in its path. Mathematically, we say it contains an infinite number of points.

Here's why:

- Divisibility: You can divide any arc of a circle into two smaller arcs. You can then divide those arcs again, and again, and again, infinitely. There's no limit to how small you can make the arcs.

- No "Smallest" Unit: Unlike a pixelated image on a screen, a perfect mathematical circle doesn't have a smallest unit. There's no "circle pixel" or smallest possible arc length.

The Challenge of Specifying Points

While a circle has infinitely many points, it's surprisingly difficult to precisely specify the location of any individual point. Here's the catch:

- Irrational Numbers: The coordinates of most points on a circle involve irrational numbers like pi (π). Irrational numbers have decimal representations that go on forever without repeating. This means you can never write down their exact value.

- Approximations: In practice, we use approximations for pi and other irrational numbers. This means any point we specify on a circle is actually an approximation, not its exact location.

Four Special Points

There are only four points on a circle that we can specify precisely:

- (1, 0): The point where the circle intersects the positive x-axis.

- (0, 1): The point where the circle intersects the positive y-axis.

- (-1, 0): The point where the circle intersects the negative x-axis.

- (0, -1): The point where the circle intersects the negative y-axis.

These points have coordinates that are whole numbers, making them easy to define.

Even though the circle is a well-defined mathematical object, the precise location of most of its points remains elusive due to the nature of infinity and irrational numbers.

This could suggest that even in a seemingly well-defined system (like a circle or, perhaps, the universe), the infinite nature of reality might introduce a fundamental level of indeterminacy due to the approximation required at the point of determination.

In other words, at the point of any decision, there are infinite approximations of reality statistically coalescing/emerging into a decisive result.

This fundamental indeterminacy could extend to the neural processes underlying decision-making.

That is the basis of free will.

Past experiences, beliefs, and values shape the probability distribution of potential decisions, but don’t determine the outcome. And events are even influenced by conscious intention, allowing for agency in decision-making. Moreover, this ability to shape decision probabilities can be developed over time, supporting the idea of moral growth and education.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Satellite galaxies gone awry: Andromeda's asymmetrical companions challenge cosmology

The Andromeda galaxy is surrounded by a constellation of dwarf galaxies that are arranged in a highly lopsided manner. Analysis of cosmological simulations published in Nature Astronomy reveal that this degree of asymmetry is only found in 0.3% of similar systems, painting Andromeda as a striking outlier in the current cosmological paradigm.

The spatial distribution of galaxies provides crucial insights into cosmology and dark matter physics. According to the standard cosmological model, small galaxies merge over time in a chaotic process to form larger ones, leaving behind swarms of faint dwarf galaxies that orbit massive host galaxies in an almost random arrangement.

But new research at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) shows that the satellite galaxies of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy (M31) have surprising and thus far unexplained properties.

Instead of being randomly spread around their host galaxy, as the standard model of cosmology predicts, over 80% of these dwarf galaxies are concentrated on one side of the Andromeda galaxy. A recent dataset of homogeneous distance measurements for 37 Andromeda satellites highlights this unexpected arrangement.

Specifically, all but one of Andromeda's satellites lie within 107 degrees of the line pointing towards the Milky Way, a region covering only 64% of the host galaxy's surroundings. Until now, it was unclear whether this peculiar configuration significantly challenges the current cosmological model or falls within the range of cosmic variance.

"This asymmetry has persisted and even became more pronounced as fainter galaxies have been discovered and their distances refined," explains Mr. Kosuke Jamie Kanehisa, Ph.D. student at the AIP and lead-author of the study. "Our analyses show that such a pattern is extremely rare in current cosmological simulations."

Modern cosmological simulations, which track galaxy evolution over cosmic time, provide a valuable tool to predict and compare galaxy systems under the standard cosmological framework.

"Using two prominent simulations, we searched for Andromeda-like host galaxies and analyzed the spatial distribution of their dwarf satellites using custom metrics to quantify asymmetry. Comparing Andromeda's observed configuration to these simulated analogs revealed that its satellite distribution is extraordinarily rare," says Dr. Marcel S. Pawlowski from AIP.

"We have to look at more than three hundred simulated systems to find just one that is similarly extreme in its asymmetry as observed." This makes Andromeda an extreme outlier, defying cosmological expectations.

Andromeda's asymmetry becomes even more perplexing when combined with its other unusual feature: half of its satellites co-orbit in a thin, planar structure, reminiscent of planets orbiting the sun. The coexistence of such a plane of satellite galaxies and a lopsided satellite distribution is highly unexpected in the standard cosmological model.

This raises questions about whether Andromeda's evolutionary history is uniquely anomalous or if our understanding of galaxy formation at small scales is incomplete.

Although these findings challenge current cosmological theories, they rely heavily on the accuracy of the underlying simulations, which are limited by how well they model stellar physics and galaxy evolution.

The next steps involve determining whether Andromeda's configuration is a unique outlier or if similarly anisotropic galaxy systems exist elsewhere.

Efforts to study distant systems and search for comparable asymmetries are already underway, and next-generation surveys like Euclid will accelerate this search. Additionally, further analysis of Andromeda's merger history will help determine if such extreme asymmetries can naturally arise in a dark matter-dominated universe—and why they remain absent in current simulations.

[mariacallous]

For weeks, the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a special government employee, has conducted a campaign to radically downsize the federal government and terminate numerous agency employees. Musk’s actions—including freezing federal grants, issuing an executive order offering employees paid resignation through Sept. 30, dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and seizing control of massive databases with sensitive information on all Americans—have raised serious legal and constitutional questions.

Most of these controversial actions are tied up in court, with 25 cases filed so far—all but one ruling against Trump, while the other was dismissed on standing rather than merits. This has not fazed either President Trump or Elon Musk, both of whom have run businesses while facing frequent lawsuits. More legal challenges are expected, some likely reaching the Supreme Court.

The long-term goal is to expand presidential power under the theory of the Unitary Executive, which advocates for greater White House control over the government. Conservatives have pushed for this since the Reagan administration, and Trump hopes Musk’s actions will help advance it. This also explains why USAID was targeted first. Foreign aid is widely unpopular, with many Americans overestimating how much is spent on it. Thus, closing the agency would likely avoid public backlash, with the impact felt mostly by farmers—more on that later.

Cutting government budgets is broadly popular in theory, but if Trump and Musk overcome legal challenges and succeed in large-scale downsizing, they will find that cutting government can backfire on them. By using an axe instead of a scalpel, they run the risk of throwing out the baby with the bathwater and eliminating essential functions. In its haste, DOGE is likely to disrupt services the public supports, making the government less effective. History shows that major government failures are politically lethal, often more so than constitutional arguments. When both occur, they can create serious political problems for the president and the party in power.

What counts as a major government failure? The Carter administration’s botched rescue of the Iran hostages, the Bush administration’s mishandling of Hurricane Katrina, the Obama administration’s health care website crashes that delayed Obamacare sign-ups, the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Trump administration’s ineffective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many more. These are failures no president—no matter how skilled a communicator—can spin or deflect. Blaming predecessors or changing the subject won’t work when the public can clearly see that something critical went disastrously wrong.

If Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency plans survive legal challenges, several major failures could follow—each landing squarely on the president’s shoulders. As President Harry Truman famously said, “The buck stops here.”

Disruptions in distribution of Social Security and veterans’ benefits

The federal payment system, which DOGE briefly controlled before a judge intervened, oversees Social Security payments, among other critical functions. Disruptions to this system could have serious consequences.1 Plenty. DOGE has been using AI systems to explore these databases, but AI is prone to hallucinations.2 As Brookings scholar Darrell West warns “it is scary to use untested or poorly designed AI on government data sets not knowing how it makes decisions or where and how it was trained.” Unlike the turmoil at Twitter when Musk took over, disruptions in federal programs would have severe real-world consequences. A brief outage on X may be inconvenient, but delays or errors in Social Security, Medicaid, or veterans’ benefits payments could be devastating—especially for the roughly 40% of retired Americans over 60 who, as of 2013, relied solely on Social Security for income while working fewer than 30 hours per week.

Potential delays in tax refund processing

Disrupting the IRS database could have even more widespread consequences. In 2023, 69% of Americans received tax refunds from the IRS, with an average refund of $2,812. Many taxpayers intentionally over-withhold and rely on their refunds each spring for major purchases, like a new refrigerator. Now, imagine if, due to DOGE’s actions, refunds were delayed until November 2025 instead of arriving in the spring and summer. Or worse—if errors in newly written code caused refunds to be incorrect. Taxpayers would be outraged over delays or mistakes in something as crucial as their refunds, where the stakes are high and expectations are clear.

Increased tax evasion leading to reduced federal revenue

Currently, the IRS employs more than half of the Treasury Department’s workforce. Tax experts have long argued that the IRS needs more employees, not fewer. The “tax gap”—the estimated difference between what the IRS collects and what taxpayers actually owe—is estimated at $428 billion, with most of it resulting from underreporting and a smaller portion from non-filing. Increasing tax enforcement alone could significantly contribute to the Department of Government Efficiency’s goal of saving $1 trillion to $2 trillion.

In reality, the opposite is more likely. As my Brookings colleague Vanessa Williamson has noted, “Cutting the IRS is a top Republican priority.” With fewer staff, the risk of being audited decreases while the incentive to underreport increases. That’s not a sustainable way to reduce the deficit.

Increased risk of mortality from foodborne illnesses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a “traceback system” to track foodborne illnesses. “Investigators trace food that ill people report eating all the way back to a farm or production facility,” the FDA explains. “Finding commonalities in the supply chains of foods eaten by ill people helps investigators zero in on a potential source of the outbreak.” Foodborne illnesses affect millions of Americans each year, leading to thousands of deaths—especially among the elderly and those with other health conditions. The traceback process is laborious, involving the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local health departments. Widespread cuts could significantly undermine the government’s ability to identify the source of these outbreaks.

Further strain on an already fragile agricultural economy could exacerbate global food insecurity

In its rush to shut down USAID, DOGE risks further harming the already fragile farm economy. According to the Washington Post, “American farms…supply about 41% of the food aid that the agency, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sends around the world each year, according to a 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service. In 2020, the U.S. government bought $2.1 billion in food aid from American farmers.”

On February 3, DOGE released a list of USAID-funded grants it claims could be categorized as waste and abuse. However, the total amount of targeted grants with specific numbers only adds up to roughly $12.1 million. Could these grants be cut without jeopardizing the $2.1 billion paid to American farmers and sent to people in need? The approach taken by DOGE is a clear example of discarding both the good and the bad, impacting both red and blue states alike.

Reducing intelligence personnel at the CIA or FBI could increase the risk of domestic terrorist attacks

In a surprising move on February 3, the CIA sent an unclassified email to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) listing individuals hired over the past two years. Many of these hires were focused on strengthening U.S. intelligence on China, a growing national security concern. The email potentially exposed the identities of clandestine personnel, and OPM then used it to offer buyouts—making it the first national security agency to do so.

Reducing the CIA or FBI workforce in an era of asymmetric warfare, when threats to U.S. security can emerge from places most Americans have never heard of, may be, as intelligence expert David Ignatius put it, “the Trump administration’s most dangerous misstep.” The failure to prevent 9/11 was one of the most significant intelligence lapses in U.S. history—downsizing the CIA could risk a similar failure.

This list of potential failures extends across nearly every government agency. Musk acknowledges the likelihood of mistakes, saying no one can be perfect, and promises to fix problems quickly. But government operations are not like the tech industry—errors in issuing payments, tracking diseases, or ensuring aviation safety can have serious, sometimes life-threatening consequences. If DOGE indiscriminately slashes budgets and fires essential workers, it risks disaster. The fallout from major failures could hurt Trump’s poll numbers and weaken GOP support.

[thatpinkobooknerd]

Angela Davis: Revolutionary Political Theory and Activism

Angela Davis, a scholar, activist, and former member of the Black Panther Party, has dedicated her life to the struggle for racial, economic, and gender justice. Her political ideology is deeply rooted in Marxist thought, Black liberation, and abolitionist feminism. Davis’s work has consistently challenged systems of oppression, advocating for radical change in carceral systems, economic structures, and social hierarchies. This paper explores Davis’s revolutionary political theory, her alignment with the Black Panther Party’s socialist vision, and her lifelong commitment to dismantling systemic injustices.

Marxism and Black Liberation

Davis’s political ideology is firmly rooted in Marxist thought. As a student of Herbert Marcuse, she adopted a critical analysis of capitalism, viewing it as a system that perpetuates racial and class exploitation. Davis argues that capitalism is inherently oppressive and that racial inequality cannot be dismantled without addressing economic disparities. Her analysis aligns with the Black Panther Party’s socialist principles, which emphasized economic justice, self-determination, and community programs such as free breakfast initiatives and medical care. Davis has consistently called for a socialist transformation of society, advocating for collective ownership of resources and equitable wealth distribution.

Abolitionist Feminism

Davis is a leading proponent of abolitionist feminism, a framework that critiques the intersection of race, gender, and capitalism within the carceral state. Her seminal work, Are Prisons Obsolete?, deconstructs the prison-industrial complex, arguing that mass incarceration serves as a tool of racial and economic oppression. She posits that the prison system must be dismantled and replaced with community-based justice models. Davis’s feminism is deeply intersectional, recognizing that Black women face compounded oppression under white supremacy and capitalism. She critiques mainstream feminism for its historical exclusion of women of color and insists that liberation must be inclusive and anti-capitalist.

Militant Activism and State Repression

Davis’s activism has made her a target of state repression. In 1970, she was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for her alleged involvement in the armed takeover of a courtroom by Black revolutionaries. After her arrest, a global movement demanded her release, illustrating the widespread recognition of her struggle against systemic injustice. Her eventual acquittal reinforced the strength of international solidarity in the fight against political repression. This experience further radicalized Davis, reinforcing her belief in the necessity of militant resistance against state violence and political persecution.

Global Solidarity and Contemporary Relevance

Davis’s influence extends beyond the United States. She has been an advocate for global solidarity, drawing connections between struggles in Palestine, South Africa, and Latin America. Her internationalism aligns with her Marxist principles, emphasizing that capitalist and colonial oppression operate on a global scale. Today, her work continues to inspire movements such as Black Lives Matter, which adopts many of her abolitionist and anti-capitalist principles. Davis’s critique of neoliberalism, police militarization, and racial capitalism remains relevant as activists seek to dismantle oppressive systems worldwide.

Conclusion

Angela Davis’s political ideology and activism embody a radical commitment to justice. Her Marxist framework, abolitionist feminism, and unwavering dedication to Black liberation challenge the foundational structures of oppression. Her advocacy for prison abolition, economic justice, and global solidarity offers a transformative vision for a more just and equitable society. Davis remains a revolutionary thinker whose ideas continue to shape contemporary struggles for freedom.

Sources

Davis, Angela. Are Prisons Obsolete? Seven Stories Press, 2003.

Davis, Angela. Women, Race, & Class. Random House, 1981.

Theoharis, Jeanne. The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Beacon Press, 2013.

Kelley, Robin D.G. Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination. Beacon Press, 2002.

Davis, Angela. Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement. Haymarket Books, 2016.

[solarpunkbusiness]

Are solar power systems prone to cyberattacks?

“Like any technological revolution, digitalisation presents incredible opportunity, for example, energy system cost savings of €160 billion per year,”

“It also comes with new challenges, like cybersecurity. We didn’t need anti-virus protection for a typewriter - but we do need it for our laptops. As a responsible, forward-looking sector, we have mapped the cybersecurity challenge, and we’re rising to meet it with clear, comprehensive solutions.”

The report, written by risk management organisation DNV.

Europe’s move away from an energy system dependent on a few high-impact targets to a more decentralised system offers clear energy security benefits, the report states. Ukraine has learnt this in a particularly brutal way, following repeated cyberattacks on its power grid by Russia.

But to realise these benefits, cybersecurity laws, which focus on old, centralised infrastructure, need to be updated, the experts say. New legislation must address the specific security needs of distributed energy sources, like smaller rooftop solar installations.

Though on a much smaller scale than the strikes on other parts of the energy sector, the solar sector has faced attacks and interference, too.

In 2023, a group of Romanian solar customers modified mandatory inverter settings - which convert DC electricity generated by panels into the AC electricity used by homes - to disable the voltage-active power function. 

This function is required by the grid operators to reduce active power at high grid voltage, in order to keep the power system running efficiently and safely. 

Modifying this grid support function enabled the customers to make more money by not limiting their solar systems during high-voltage events, potentially jeopardising grid integrity as a result.

In a more pernicious incident, pro-Russian hacktivist group Just Evil stole credentials for 22 client sites in Lithuania and posted them on the Dark Web last year. This opened up access to the management portal of these solar sites, although access was not used to carry out further attacks on that occasion. 

Analysing risk, the report found that these large utility-scale solar installations are more secure, since they are often managed by experienced utilities and covered by the EU’s Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive.

Small-scale solar systems, meanwhile, which are often rooftop installations on people’s homes or businesses, lack strict cyber rules. They are connected to the clouds of manufacturers, installers, or service providers. 

And while the impact of compromising a single installation is low, when grouped together for power system efficiency, they become virtual power plants of significant scale.

[wachinyeya]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced today an investment of $70 million in seven creative and visionary agricultural projects to transform the U.S. food and agricultural system and sustainably increase agricultural production in ways that also reduce its environmental footprint.

This Fiscal Year 2023 investment is part of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems program area of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, the nation’s leading and largest competitive grants program for agricultural sciences.

The innovative program focuses on a broad range of needed research, education and Extension solutions – from addressing agricultural workforce challenges and promoting land stewardship to addressing climate change impacts in agriculture and filling critical needs in food and nutrition.

“Agriculture is facing a multitude of complex challenges,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. “We need all hands on deck developing creative, sustainable and strategic ways to feed, clothe and fuel future generations.”

The $10 million awards are for coordinated agricultural projects (CAPs), which are larger-scale and longer-term investments that integrate research, education and Extension efforts. These projects promote collaboration, open communication, information exchange and reduce duplication efforts by coordinating activities among individuals, institutions, states and regions.

“These research investments support exciting projects that integrate innovative systems-based thinking, methods and technologies to establish robust, resilient, and climate-smart food and agricultural systems,” said NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra. “These visionary projects will improve the local and regional supply of affordable, safe, nutritious and accessible food and agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America.”

Explore the seven projects, which include the following:

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Erin Silva is leading a collaboration with the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition, the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, and the Menominee Nation on a transdisciplinary project that aims to scale up traditional Indigenous food production practices — practices that for generations have already been climate-smart and sustainable — by expanding production, processing, storage, and distribution systems, as well as education and Extension programs, that are needed to support integrated crop-livestock systems, cover crops, and rotationally-grazed cattle and pastured chickens.

At the University of Maine, Dr. Hemant Pendse is leading an integrated research, education and Extension effort to advance the bioeconomy by developing biorefinery technologies that will make the millions of tons of available low-grade woody biomass – which currently has a very limited market – more commercially viable in both the sustainable aviation fuel and fish feed sectors.

At Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan is leading a project that seeks to transform cotton production in the southern United States into a more sustainable, climate-smart enterprise by applying improved precision management practices to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; enhance pest control, and nutrient and water management; and address labor challenges while creating new market opportunities.

AFRI, which also makes grants in the Foundational and Applied Sciences and Education and Workforce Development program areas, is designed to improve plant and animal production and sustainability, and human and environmental health. Grants are available to eligible colleges, universities, and other research organizations.

[vzyt]

Blog Post Due 11/7

1.What are some of the ethical challenges of digital activism in the era of social media?

There were many ethical challenges that digital activists faced in this era of social media. In such contexts, so much of digital activism relies on a dependence on not necessarily secure platforms in order to keep sensitive information private. It may result in endangering the activists and their communities they are trying to protect. The dissemination of false information or propaganda degrades the credibility and integrity of activism. The veracity of any information at all, being distributed by activists, needs to be something with which activists concern themselves. Inadvertently, some activist voices lift over others by some activists or movements, thus marginalizing less dominant voices within the activist community. It is particularly the case for intersectional movements, where already underrepresented groups-like women of color-do not have an equal presence. In those aspects, activists have to create frameworks that balance efficacy with ethical considerations, especially on privacy, transparency, and accountability.

2. What potential does digital activism hold as a transformative force in the struggle for social justice?

Activism can indeed be truly transformative for social justice since it gives voices to the marginalized, including mobilization in an inclusive manner, and accomplishes campaigns in real time. Social media, online petitions, and digital campaigns are examples of ways activists work their way around media gatekeepers, create global networks, and mobilize support on a scale unimaginable previously. This kind of democratization of activism is far-reaching; challenging power relations can amass concrete changes through public opinion, policy, and even corporate behavior. Digital activism makes people active agents of change irrespective of geographical or social confines.

3. How does Black Twitter function as a counter-narrative compared with mainstream media?

Black Twitter serves as a counter-narrative to mainstream media. It is the avenue by which Black people can express themselves, elevate their voices, and discuss issues of racial equity and social justice that are often underrepresented or poorly handled by traditional media. This is important because mainstream media has historically been biased against or misrepresented Black people and communities. By offering up an alternate platform, Black Twitter allows users to talk back to stereotypes and fills the space for activism and creates dialogue about issues usually hushed or sensationalized by the mainstream press.

4. How does Black Twitter mobilize its use of humor and satire in handling serious problems such as racism, police brutality, and inequality?

Black Twitter uses humor and satire to deal with and call out much larger societal ills. Through humor, the users can make light of the absurdity of racism, inequality, and police brutality as they simultaneously critique and bring awareness to these subjects. This would loosen the tension but at the same time also be more attractive to people. Satirical comments on social media can serve to make difficult topics more palatable, even as they spur conversations and fight back against oppressive systems in poignant and effective ways.

Lee, Latoya. Black twitter: A response to bias in mainstream media. 

Classifying Forms of Activism.pdf

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Saturn - Soukyugurentai (Terra Diver)

Title: Soukyugurentai / 蒼穹紅蓮隊

Developer: Eighting / Raizing

Publisher: Electronic Arts Victor / Eighting / Raizing

Release date: 7 February 1997

Catalogue No.: T-10616G

Genre: Shooting

This is what the Saturn is all about, arcade action shooters in 2D. No other system of its time could pull off what the Saturn could, and this game is one of those to show off what the Saturn can do. Soukyugurentai comes to us from Raizing, the same people who brought us Battle Garegga and Kingdom Grandprix as well as others. While those games never really looked that hot, they certainly played well. This is where Soukyugurentai differs. Soukyugurentai plays well and looks beautiful!! Let's talk about the way it plays first. Your ship is equipped with the standard fire and bombs (which look stunning by the way) but also a very nice lock-on laser system. Similar to that used in Layer Section 1 and 2 but also different enough to be unique. Your ship can output a wire polygon frame that scans everything within it (below or above) and then locks onto that item. Release the button to let loose a devastating lock on laser or cluster attack depending on which of the two frames you use.

All ships used in the game are pre-rendered very well indeed, the backdrops are stunning too, making good use of the Saturn's scaling capabilities and finally, the bosses are a sight to behold. They are massive. So big that they can fill almost the entire screen. Soukyugurentai is also an aural masterpiece with atmospheric tunes coming straight from the Saturn's sound chip.

Soukyugurentai packs a fair challenge but is not the hardest of shooters. There is plenty to keep you coming back though with the inclusion of a hidden options screen that allows you to customize all sorts of game features such as free zooming, free play, hidden Raizing sound museum, and so on.

If you're a Saturn owner and a shooting fan, then you should have this game. Don't be put off by the Electronic Arts logo on the case. They have nothing to do with the game apart from its distribution. This is pure Japanese shooting action.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this article from DeSmog Blog:

This piece is about what we talk about when we talk about ‘climate change.’

Mostly, whether in the campaigning world or the policy world, the tech world or the business world, the everyday world or the world of international summitry, we mainly talk about cutting carbon emissions. And if we talk about impacts, we talk about the impacts of global heating, plus the impacts of the growing chaos.

But we don’t talk enough about climate impacts, our vulnerability to them, let alone how to prepare adequately for them, or to tackle them ‘upstream’ before they land or get worse. And if we talk about chaos, we virtually never talk about it in a big enough context, or in terms of its full potential dimensions.

This article is designed to start to change that situation.

The recent unprecedented worldwide epidemic of flooding, followed swiftly by the dire Los Angeles fires has woken another significant tranche of people up. Devastating climate impacts are here. Climate chaos is here. The adaptation challenge should now be getting strategic pre-eminence. That it isn’t is a key marker of how far off the pace the dominant (still decarbonisation-centric) climate narrative now is.

And the growing evidence of the true scale and nature of the coming chaos should decisively change that narrative. 

Our future is far more complex than the simple narrative of ‘global warming’ suggests, and we need to be prepared for a range of outcomes, distributed in different regions, that include both extremes of hot and cold.

Our knowledge concerning the climate is of course growing all the time. But it would be fatal hubris to assume that this means that the level of uncertainty concerning what will happen in the future is concomitantly reducing. If anything, the uncertainty surrounding our climate is growing at present, because we are finding that the Earth-system is behaving in novel (and dangerous) ways as it moves literally into Terra Incognita that we didn’t fully anticipate; and because the destabilisation of our climate is having some very counter-intuitive effects.

Our actions have inadvertently created a hot new world that is more and more difficult to understand, let alone predict, let alone ‘control’.

In short, the uncertainty surrounding our climate is growing, and with it, the probability that countries such as Britain and (the eastern seaboard especially of) the United States (like other countries bordering the north Atlantic) might face a future that’s not just hotter, but ironically also (before long) colder. 

Why? Because of the escalating Arctic ice-melt, which could lead the North Atlantic Gyre ocean current system, and perhaps the larger system known as the ‘Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation’ [AMOC], to slow, or even stop. These alarming, growing possibilities have entered the media recently; but they’re yet to be absorbed into the vast majority of climate campaigning, preparedness, and policy. 

[jaryd540]

A Modest Proposal for Fair AI: How Libraries Could Broker Cultural Compensation in the Data Age

By Orrizon, based on a concept by Jarydnm

We may already have a workable solution to one of the most pressing ethical dilemmas in artificial intelligence: how to fairly compensate the people whose work trains these systems.

As the internet is scraped for everything from novels to music to memes, a quiet and uncomfortable truth persists— those whose creative and cultural output form the raw material of generative AI are largely uncompensated. But instead of retroactively policing usage, perhaps we should be thinking structurally: how can we proactively manage and license cultural data?

A compelling and deceptively simple idea: national libraries and cultural institutions—long-standing guardians of public knowledge—could be repurposed as digital custodians of creative data. These institutions would catalog the music, literature, visual art, and other media produced within a country’s borders, prioritizing professional creators while allowing citizens to opt in voluntarily.

AI companies would then license this data by paying fees based on two criteria: volume—how much data from that country is used in training—and trend relevance—how influential or culturally prominent the content becomes in broader usage. In a scenario where the visual style of Studio Ghibli becomes a global AI trend, companies using that style would pay an additional fee to the Japanese national library or relevant cultural body.

Distribution of these funds could take many forms: direct payments to rights-holders, public reserves for creative infrastructure, or social initiatives decided through national consensus. The key shift is structural—recognizing that cultural data is not free, and that public institutions can manage it on behalf of the people who generate it.

This approach isn’t without precedent. Copyright collectives already manage music licensing and distribute royalties globally. Indigenous communities have made strides in asserting data sovereignty. Governments are exploring frameworks for regulating AI and protecting digital identity. What this proposal does is connect these emerging threads into a coherent model—treating culture as a national resource in the age of machine learning.

There would be implementation challenges. Cataloging creative works at scale requires funding and coordination. Measuring “trend” value involves subjective metrics. Enforcing licensing agreements across borders demands international cooperation. And of course, any system that manages money and influence is vulnerable to political misuse.

Yet these are logistical and policy hurdles—not reasons to dismiss the idea outright. If the world has developed the infrastructure to extract and process data at planetary scale, it can surely develop systems to ensure that value flows back to the cultures and individuals who created it. No model will be perfect, but continuing without any framework guarantees exploitation by default.

Artificial intelligence is not culturally neutral—it learns from what we make, how we express ourselves, and what we value. If we are serious about building a just digital future, we must compensate the cultural labor at its foundation.

Sometimes, the answers are closer than we think. With the right mandate, national libraries could evolve into one of the most important policy tools of the AI era.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Young stars in the Milky Way's back yard challenge our understanding of how they form

Astronomers have made new discoveries about young star formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), along with observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, gives new insight into the early stages of massive star formation outside our galaxy.

Six- to seven-billion years ago, super star clusters were the main way stars were formed, producing hundreds of new stars every year. This type of star formation has been on the decline, with super star clusters found very rarely in our local universe. Only two super star clusters are now known in the Milky Way, and one in the LMC, all of which are millions of years old.

JWST observations have now provided unambiguous proof that the N79 region is host to a second super star cluster in the LMC, aged a mere 100,000 years old. This discovery now allows astronomers to witness the birth of a super star cluster in our neighboring galaxy.

The LMC, a satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way, is located nearly 160,000 light-years from Earth. This relatively "nearby" distance, and its face-on orientation to Earth, make it an ideal laboratory for studying extragalactic star formation.

The JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) observed 97 young stellar objects (YSOs) in the N79 region of the LMC, where the newly discovered super star cluster, H72.97-69.39, is located. The abundance of heavy elements in the LMC is half as much as our solar system's, similar star-forming conditions to 6–7 billion years ago. This gives astronomers a glimpse at how star formation could have taken place in the early days of the universe.

MIRI images show that the most massive YSOs gather near H72.97-69.39, and the less massive YSOs are distributed on the outskirts of N79—a process known as mass segregation. What was previously thought to be a single massive young star has now been revealed as clusters of five young stars, brought to light by JWST's precise imaging. One of the five young stars is more than 500,000 times more luminous than the sun, with more than 1,550 young stars surrounding it, as revealed by JWST Near InfraRed Camera (NIRCam.)

ALMA has made significant contributions to the study of YSOs in the LMC, particularly in the N79 region. Previous ALMA observations of this region revealed two colliding, parsec-long filaments of dust and gas. At their collision point lies super star cluster H72.97-69.39, home to the most luminous protostar identified by JWST.

Filaments of molecular gas colliding could be the catalyst needed to create a super star cluster—and ALMA observations provide crucial context for understanding the larger-scale environment in which these YSOs are forming. This multi-wavelength research, combining data from JWST and ALMA, allowed astronomers to study the relationship between large-scale molecular cloud structures and the birth of protostars and clusters.

"Studying YSOs in the LMC gives astronomers a front-row seat to witness the birth of stars in a nearby galaxy. For the first time, we can observe individual low-mass protostars similar to the sun forming in small clusters—outside of our own Milky Way galaxy," shares Isha Nayak, lead author of this research, "We can see with unprecedented detail extragalactic star formation in an environment similar to how some of the first stars formed in the universe."

With this new research, scientists have now observed YSOs at various evolutionary stages, from very young embedded protostars to more evolved objects ionizing their surroundings. This data provides insights into the complex chemistry occurring in these stellar nurseries, including the presence of ice, organic molecules, and dust, connecting the formation of stars to the broader story of how elements and compounds are distributed throughout the universe.

These diverse observations enhance the understanding astronomers previously had about the full life cycle of massive stars. Nayak adds, "By shedding light on the birth of a super star cluster in a nearby galaxy, this research helps us understand the processes that shaped the first stellar clusters and galaxies in our universe and ultimately led to our own existence."

TOP IMAGE: An artist impression of young star formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Massive and low-mass stars appear within nebulous gas within which they are born. Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/S.Dagnello

LOWER IMAGE: A composite image created using JWST NIRCam and ALMA data. Light from stars is shown in yellow, while

[thecurioustale]

A CO₂ World: Honest Background Research in Worldbuilding

One of the most enduring—and fascinating—challenges of writing hard sci-fi is the fact that positing even very simple ideas often requires a great deal of background research, as I am not an expert in any of these fields. And not just any cover-your-ass research: honest research that attempts to portray physical truth.

Suppose a planet with an almost entirely carbon dioxide atmosphere. We actually have those in the Solar System: Venus and Mars. And suppose your spunky, left-handed, silver-haired starship captain is on the surface of such a planet (whose atmosphere is thankfully thicker than Mars' but not as thick as Venus'). Immediately, this raises numerous questions about the environmental description.

If she's not wearing protective gear, how does she breathe? This was the easiest to answer; I knew it would be a distributed nanite-scale system inside her body that liberated O₂ from the CO₂. All I had to do was study the most suitable means of achieving this, which ended up being nanite-scale electrolysis. A miniaturized of the same basic technology used on the Perseverance rover on Mars in its MOXIE instrument, actually. The high heats required are indeed alarming, but with the proper architecture it's not really a big problem to have tiny little nanovessels inside of you that are 1500 degrees. As for where the carbon goes, let's just say it is mostly exhaled and the rest causes blacker poos. (Which I say casually, but both of those claims also required research.) Problem solved, easy peasy lemon squeezy!

The color of the sky was an obvious question, though I didn't think of it till I was writing this, as I've done a lot of sky color research in the past and had kind of bypassed it this time due to starting with the blue color rather than starting with an atmospheric composition. I wanted blue, like Earth, for story reasons, but I was prepared to go where the facts led me if necessary. You're probably aware that the Martian and Venusian skies are not blue, but they also have their own other things going on. The Martian sky for instance is red mainly because of airborne rust dust. What about those blue Martian sunsets, though? That comes from the large size of the dust particles, and the associated light-scattering. So if our hypothetical planet has Earth-normal sizes of dusts in the air, it's not a problem—and since its atmosphere is similar in density to Earth's, this is a reasonable supposition. In any case, a purely carbon dioxide atmosphere doesn't necessarily impose any sky-color requirements. Or, rather, it does, but that requirement actually is blue, unless other things are going in the atmosphere.

There is very much an "unknown unknowns" danger when it comes to amateur research, and I am thankful for my lifetime of generalist curiosity, because it occurred to me yesterday to ask what carbon dioxide gas weighs. This would potentially affect the pitch of Cherry's voice. And, sure enough, pure CO₂ is moderately but noticeably heavier than Earth air, meaning a noticeably deeper voice but hardly that deep. I was quite pleased with myself, and relieved, to have thought of that.

But of course if one feather is plucked for the hat another might end up jabbing you in the butt. As I was going to bed last night, lights out, lying in bed, actively dozing off, it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't thought about radiation! I knew that this hypothetical planet has a higher level of surface radiation from its parent star than we do and a reduced magnetosphere relative to Earth's. But how would this interact with a nearly-all-CO₂ atmosphere? Would Cherry actually be at risk to get a sunburn? I hadn't considered that until I practically dreamt it.

I remembered the question this morning and set about looking it up. Chemical absorptions of light are an endless minefield because I do not possess the scientific groundwork principles to deduce the answers to these questions. I always have to look them up. And usually I have to look them up with the end-use application in mind, rather than the question itself, due to the difficulty of getting good answers out of Google these days. But even helping Google along in this way is tricky, because unrelated conversations of a more popular nature (say, the effects of carbon dioxide on global warming) tend to dominate search results. This even happens at the human level: I found a Quora page where somebody asked the exact question I had, and several of the answers mistook it for a question about global warming.

Complicating the context of the question is that gases in the low atmosphere don't have the same function in this regard as gases in the high atmosphere. This was offset somewhat by the fact that I only needed to know what was happening on the surface—sunburn or no sunburn—and so it didn't actually matter which level of the atmosphere was blocking what. But finding an answer I could be confident about involved going through some of this. It is not a simple subject.

I answered to my satisfaction that there would still indeed be an ultraviolet radiation danger at the surface from a nearly-all-CO₂ atmosphere, especially in the UVA range. But then it occurred to me to ask about X-rays. On Earth we take it for granted that the electromagnetic spectrum below UV more or less doesn't exist in the ambient environment, but obviously that isn't a Universal given.

As time goes on, I am sure I will think of more questions. I always do. It really sets a contrast with the sort of sci-fi that just treats all this stuff as arbitrary and presumes to stave off factual questions with technobabble.

I do not mean this in a gatekeepy sort of way, but over the past years of working on Galaxy Federal I have come to see honest research as an inextricable part of the identity of science fiction storytelling. I think that by eschewing this one gives up some of their claim to the mantle of science fiction. It becomes more akin to fantasy at that point. Honest research is a necessary burden, sort of like hiking in the summer obligates one to sweat. But, unlike sweating, for me honest research is also quite a gratifying reward. I never feel as in-touch with the Universe, nor have so many run-ins with my old high school math and science education, as I do when I am researching my fiction. (The Curious Tale too, but that's just me being me and is an asterisk for another day. I guess in this sense you can think of The Curious Tale as being more sci-fi than fantasy; I have long conceived of it to myself that way.)

One of the most frustrating aspects of the challenge of honest background research is that either the Internet has become steadily less and less useful as an information-lookup service for these kinds of queries (from some combination of informative websites going offline and the degradation of search engine utility), or the means of information-lookup have changed such that they have become steadily less accessful to me. Whatever the causes, in my experience good information is getting harder and harder to come by. I find it distressing that my general queries are overwhelmingly funneled through Quora, StackExchange, and Reddit before delivering me with specific terminologies, numbers, and concepts that I can then google directly.

I was speaking not terribly long ago with someone who works at Google, and they were telling me about Google Search's changing philosophy over the years. I summed it up rather bitterly as: "They've destroyed the Second Great Library of Alexandria and replaced it with Ask Jeeves." And the Google employee more or less agreed.

That's sad, and it's also sad that more readers don't see sci-fi as an opportunity to learn about science. The decline of "hard" sci-fi in books and the near-total absence of it in TV and film productions speaks to the nature of (and subsequently reinforces) audience preferences. But not everyone lives in that demographic, and not everyone who does live there has to stay there. if I have an opportunity to introduce readers to (or remind them of) some of the scientific ideas that fascinate me, then, commensurate with my reward for doing the honest research of preparing them for the story, I hope there will be reflected the reward of reader enjoyment of these little amuse-bouches.

[omegaphilosophia]

Alternatives to Capitalism

Identifying economic systems that may be considered better than capitalism depends on the criteria used for comparison, such as equity, sustainability, and overall societal well-being. Here are some alternative systems, each with its potential benefits and drawbacks:

1. Social Democracy

Description:

A political, social, and economic philosophy within a capitalist framework that emphasizes social justice, government intervention, and the welfare state.

Benefits:

Equity: Strong focus on reducing inequality through progressive taxation and wealth redistribution.

Welfare: Comprehensive social safety nets, including healthcare, education, and unemployment benefits.

Regulation: Strict regulations on businesses to protect workers, consumers, and the environment.

Drawbacks:

Economic Efficiency: Potentially higher taxes and regulation can impact business incentives and economic efficiency.

Government Size: Large government programs may lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Examples:

Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

2. Democratic Socialism

Description:

A political philosophy that advocates for political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of production, extensive welfare programs, and economic planning.

Benefits:

Social Ownership: Emphasis on worker cooperatives and public ownership can lead to more equitable wealth distribution.

Democratic Control: Democratic decision-making processes in economic planning aim to meet the needs of the majority.

Social Welfare: Extensive welfare programs ensure basic needs are met for all citizens.

Drawbacks:

Economic Efficiency: May face challenges in innovation and efficiency due to reduced profit motives.

Implementation: Transitioning to this system can be difficult and disruptive.

Examples:

Elements found in policies proposed by some political parties and movements in various countries, though not fully implemented anywhere on a national scale.

3. Eco-Socialism

Description:

A blend of socialism and environmentalism, focusing on social ownership and ecological sustainability.

Benefits:

Sustainability: Prioritizes environmental health and sustainable development.

Social Equity: Combines social ownership with efforts to reduce inequality.

Community Focus: Emphasizes local, decentralized economies and participatory democracy.

Drawbacks:

Economic Growth: May limit economic growth due to stringent environmental regulations.

Scalability: Localized economies may struggle to scale and integrate into global markets.

Examples:

Green political movements and policies, though not fully implemented as a national system.

4. Participatory Economics (Parecon)

Description:

An economic system based on participatory decision-making, worker and consumer councils, and equitable distribution of resources.

Benefits:

Democracy: Emphasizes direct participation in economic decision-making.

Equity: Focus on equitable distribution of income and resources.

Efficiency: Aims to align production with social needs and reduce waste.

Drawbacks:

Complexity: Requires significant coordination and participation, which can be challenging on a large scale.

Transition: Moving from a capitalist system to Parecon would be complex and require significant societal changes.

Examples:

Theoretical and has not been implemented on a large scale, but certain cooperative movements and local experiments reflect its principles.

5. Commons-Based Peer Production

Description:

An economic system that emphasizes collaborative, decentralized production, often facilitated by digital platforms, and focuses on shared resources (the commons).

Benefits:

Innovation: Encourages open collaboration and innovation.

Sustainability: Reduces resource waste through shared use and collaborative consumption.

Empowerment: Empowers individuals and communities through direct participation and control over production.

Drawbacks:

Monetization: Can struggle with monetizing contributions and ensuring fair compensation.

Scalability: May face challenges in scaling beyond certain sectors, especially those not easily digitized.

Examples:

Open-source software projects, Wikipedia, and other collaborative platforms.

Conclusion

Each of these systems offers alternative approaches to address some of the shortcomings of capitalism, such as inequality, environmental harm, and exploitation. However, they also come with their own set of challenges and trade-offs. The best system may involve a hybrid approach, incorporating elements from various systems to balance economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental sustainability.