Noam Chomsky: *Trump Has Revealed the Extreme Fragility of American Democracy.*

The corrupter has pardoned his former agent, Michael Flynn, who was convicted for lying to the FBI about what he did for the corrupter.

This is a corrupt practice. I think we need to limit the president's power to pardon so that presidents cannot do this in the future.

*Climate crisis making autumn leaves fall earlier, study finds.*

Scientists had predicted that, with a longer growing season, trees would store more carbon Instead, they drop their leaves once they have stored enough energy to be ready for winter.

This means that predictions for how much carbon forests will store must be adjusted down, and predictions for disaster must be adjusted up.

*EU to ban use of lead shot by wetland bird hunters.*

Lead is toxic to animals, just as to humans. It is good to stop putting lead into the environment.

Thugs in Paris attacked a man who was walking to his office without a mask, and beat him bloody. Then they made false accusations against him.

Did they do this because he did not wear a mask? Or did they do this because he was black? I suppose it was the latter, since they called him racist insults too.

It was right for them to take quick action on seeing a person outside without a mask on. But the proper action was to give him a mask to put on immediately, and fine him. Perhaps arrest him if it was a repeat offense. Not to invade his studio and attack him and others.

I am glad to see that the authorities are not delaying the pursuit of these thugs. In the US it typically takes mass protests, over time, to get that far.

Article 24, which puts people in jeopardy if they expose thugs for their crimes, is very dangerous for human rights in France.