The villagers who DIYed some of the fastest internet in the UK
Frustrated with snail-like internet speeds, the residents of Michaelston-y-Fedw banded together and dug 15 miles of trenches to lay their own superfast broadband cables. It used to take two days to download a film, now it takes minutes, and the villagers are offering their help to others interested in the project
“Figure out what a community needs to be prosperous, peaceful and sustainable in as long a term as you can wrap your head around, and start building whatever piece is most in reach before the absent state notices. Doing so just might create pockets of more effective, horizontal politics“ -On the Political Dimensions of Solarpunk - Andrew Dana Hudson
by the way heres a better look at their little face
here are things to know about a tormtose beetle:
Smaller than a ladybug
Found everywhere but most people never notice them
Can change instantly from its gold colors to completely black or brown to confuse predators
Strong feet and domed shell allow it to hold tightly to a leaf when attacked by ants, who can’t get a grip on it.
The
larvae collect their own poop on the end of their tails and swing it at predators to deter them.
In some species the mother and her babies form this defensive arrangement together, with the poop clubs out and mom’s armored body protecting their heads:
The audit, which began in December of 2017, took nearly a year to complete and cost $367 million. It is said to be the first comprehensive audit of the agency in the history of the Defense Department.
At least 2,400 Pentagon auditors surveyed the department’s estimated $2.4 trillion in resources. The department says an audit will now be undertaken every year to cut down on department-wide waste.
“It is important that the Congress and the American people have confidence in DOD’s management of every taxpayer dollar,” Defense Department Comptroller David Norquist said in December.
“With consistent feedback from auditors, we can focus on improving the processes of our day-to-day work,” he added. “Annual audits also ensure visibility over the quantity and quality of the equipment and supplies our troops use.”
The U.S. defense budget hovered around $700 billion in 2018.
According to Norquist, future spending to fix problems identified in the 2018 audit is expected to be about $551 million.
