by "Garys Economics"

tl.dw. the rich are buying it all

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122

Historically, it was widely assumed that males dominate females socially in most mammals. However, recent studies revealed significant variation within and among species, opening new possibilities to explore the extent and drivers of sex biases in dominance relations. This study uses quantitative data from 253 populations across 121 primate species to investigate the distribution of, and factors associated with, sex biases in the outcome of male–female contests. We first showed that male–female contests are common (around half of all contests) and that males win >90% of these contests in less than 20% of populations. We next tested five hypotheses to explain sex biases in dominance relations. We found that female-biased dominance primarily occurs in primate societies where females have substantial reproductive control, as in monogamous, sexually monomorphic, and arboreal species. Female-biased dominance is also frequent in societies where female–female competition is intense, as in solitary or pair-living species where females are intolerant of each other, as well as in species where females face lower reproductive costs and are philopatric. Conversely, male-biased dominance is common in polygynous, dimorphic, terrestrial, and group-living species and often relies on physical superiority. In contrast, female empowerment hinges on alternative strategies, such as leveraging reproductive control. Our study highlights that male–female dominance relationships are highly variable and identifies the traits associated with the emergence of female- versus male-biased dominance in primate evolutionary history, which may also deepen our understanding of the origins of gender roles in early human societies.

All Amazonian countries are trying to reduce deforestation. That is wonderful, but then what to do to combat organised crime? They control a $280bn business – drug trafficking, wildlife trafficking, people trafficking, illegal logging, illegal gold mining, illegal land grabbing. It is all connected. And these gangs are at war with the governments. That’s one of the main reasons I’m becoming concerned because I know reducing deforestation is doable, so is forestry restoration. But how to combat organised crime?

... (https://www.noaa.gov/climate) in the last 24 hours...

Video description (pasted):

The meat industry and its defenders promise ethical consumption and sustainable farming, but animal agriculture fuels ecological destruction, entrenches human supremacy, and masks cruelty with comforting myths. John Sanbonmatsu, philosopher and author of The Omnivore’s Deception, shatters the myths of “humane meat” and the 'naturalness' of eating meat, and explains why abolishing the animal economy is essential to living an ethical human life. Highlights include:

Why growing up as the child of a Jewish mother and Japanese father in the U.S. sensitized John to bullying and injustice - against both human and nonhuman animals;

Why the origins of human domination over animals are rooted in patriarchy and an ancient human estrangement from animals, and reinforced today by a toxic nexus of masculinity, human supremacy, neoliberal capitalism, and pronatalism;

Why focusing only on factory farming misses the fundamental problem of human domination of animals and the planet - and how books like Michael Pollan's The Omnivore’s Dilemma and the new American pastoral ethos perpetuate myths of so-called ethical meat while attacking the animal rights movement;

Why justifying meat-eating as “natural” is ethically bankrupt - on par with past appeals to nature to justify slavery or denying women’s rights - and how vegans and vegetarians provoke defensive ridicule because they reveal uncomfortable truths;

Why the flood of scientific studies on animal cognition and emotion hasn’t changed behavior - and how cultural fascination with AI and plant consciousness distracts from our brutal treatment of fully sentient animals;

Why bad faith - our self-deception about how we treat animals - is the most destructive force preventing moral progress, and why what we’re doing to animals deserves to be called 'evil';

How empathy, an evolved trait we share with animals and desperately need to nurture, is being eroded by increasing social disconnection and anti-empathy tech bro ideologies;

Why lab meat, also known as 'clean meat', is not the solution to speciesism and human supremacism and consuming our way to animal liberation is a delusion;

Why the animal rights movement is being undermined by the money pouring into utilitarian effective altruism and “realistic” approaches - when true compassion demands not animal welfarism, but the abolition of animal exploitation and a direct challenge to the entrenched power structures that prevent moral progress.

May 14, 2025 | This webinar will explore the intersection of religion, gender, and populism in contemporary political and social landscapes. Populist movements frequently invoke religious and gendered narratives to define national identity, mobilize support, and justify exclusionary policies. From Christian nationalism in the United States to right-wing populism in Europe and Latin America, these movements often use traditional gender norms to bolster their legitimacy.

A global comparative approach is essential to understanding how these dynamics operate across different political and cultural contexts. Populist actors often borrow tactics from one another, and religious-nationalist discourses are increasingly transnational, influencing policies on gender, sexuality, and religious freedom beyond national borders.

In this webinar, scholars will share notes from the field based on their research in diverse settings, offering grounded insights into how religious and gendered narratives function within populist movements. By bringing together perspectives from multiple regions, this discussion will illuminate both broader patterns and local specificities of religious populism, offering insights relevant for scholars, policymakers, and civil society actors worldwide.

The webinar will be moderated by Berkley Center Senior Fellow Jocelyne Cesari. The discussion will feature distinguished scholars Didem Unal Abaday, Ruth Braunstein, Tatiana Vargas Maia, and Elżbieta Korolczuk.

May 14, 2025 | This webinar will explore the intersection of religion, gender, and populism in contemporary political and social landscapes. Populist movements frequently invoke religious and gendered narratives to define national identity, mobilize support, and justify exclusionary policies. From Christian nationalism in the United States to right-wing populism in Europe and Latin America, these movements often use traditional gender norms to bolster their legitimacy.

A global comparative approach is essential to understanding how these dynamics operate across different political and cultural contexts. Populist actors often borrow tactics from one another, and religious-nationalist discourses are increasingly transnational, influencing policies on gender, sexuality, and religious freedom beyond national borders.

In this webinar, scholars will share notes from the field based on their research in diverse settings, offering grounded insights into how religious and gendered narratives function within populist movements. By bringing together perspectives from multiple regions, this discussion will illuminate both broader patterns and local specificities of religious populism, offering insights relevant for scholars, policymakers, and civil society actors worldwide.

The webinar will be moderated by Berkley Center Senior Fellow Jocelyne Cesari. The discussion will feature distinguished scholars Didem Unal Abaday, Ruth Braunstein, Tatiana Vargas Maia, and Elżbieta Korolczuk.