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The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
José ‘Pepe' Mujica obituary
On 8 October 1969, a band of guerrillas disguised as mourners in a funeral procession marched into the small Uruguayan town of Pando. They took over the police station, the town hall and the telephone exchange, then robbed several banks, before being confronted by the armed forces and driven out. Five people were killed, including a civilian. One of the leaders of the Movimiento de Liberación Nacional–Tupamaros guerrilla group that day was José Mujica, who 40 years later became president of Uruguay. Mujica, who has died aged 89, distinguished himself from many politicians by donating 90% of his presidential salary to charity, and for continuing to live on his smallholding outside the capital, driving to the presidential palace in an old VW Beetle. Called El Pepe by most Uruguyans, he was widely known as 'the poorest president in the world'. In later life he won a wide following among young Latin Americans who admired his progressive principles and simple life. However, for some years in the late 1960s and early 70s, Mujica and the other Tupamaro urban guerrillas shook the foundations of the Uruguayan state, one of the most firmly established parliamentary democracies in Latin America. The Tupamaros aimed to bring in a revolutionary socialist government such as the one they had seen triumph under Fidel Castro in Cuba a decade earlier. They specialised in spectacular actions such as the storming of Pando, blowing up foreign firms and kidnapping high-profile businessmen and others, including the British ambassador to Uruguay, Geoffrey Jackson, who was held captive for eight months in 1971 until he was released after Edward Heath's government agreed to pay his ransom. In March 1970, Mujica was shot six times while resisting arrest in a Montevideo bar, but escaped, only to be captured and imprisoned later that same year. In 1971, he was one of more than a hundred guerrillas to escape from Punta Carretas prison by digging a tunnel out into a nearby house. After being arrested and escaping several times, in late 1972 he was detained and imprisoned without trial. By now the turmoil spread by the Tupamaros and other groups was so great that the Uruguayan military seized power in a coup. For the next 12 years, Mujica and eight other Tupamaro leaders were held as hostages, often in terrible conditions. Mujica was kept in solitary confinement for long stretches, with no access to visitors or books. He survived, and with the end of the military dictatorship in 1985 benefited from an amnesty for political activists judged not to have been directly responsible for any deaths. He was one of the founders of the leftwing Movimiento de Participación Popular (MPP), which became a main partner in the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) movement that sought to take power by peaceful political means. In 2005, the Frente Amplio succeeded for the first time in winning the presidency as well as a majority in the national parliament. Mujica was appointed minister for agriculture. In the same year he married his long-term partner and political comrade Lucía Topolansky. Mujica became the Frente Amplio's presidential candidate in the following elections, and took office on 1 March 2010. During his presidency, Uruguay adopted many progressive laws, including the legalisation of abortion, same-sex marriage, and the production and sale of marijuana. Further legislation strengthened the role of trade unions, and the minimum wage was increased significantly. He also welcomed hundreds of refugees from Assad's Syria to Uruguay, arguing that, as with his family, Uruguay was a country of immigrants. Born in Paso de la Arena near the capital, Montevideo, he was the son of Demetrio Mujica, a farmer whose ancestors came to Uruguay from the Basque Country in the mid-19th century, and Lucy Cordano, of Italian descent. After the death of his father when José was only four, he helped on the family farm and went to local schools. By the mid-60s he had become a follower of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, believing only revolutionary change could solve his country's social and economic problems, and joined the Tupamaros. As president, while not reneging on his revolutionary past, Mujica stressed he was a pragmatist who had to operate within the established system: 'I need capitalism to work, because I have to levy taxes and attend to the serious problems we have,' he told journalists. Since the Uruguayan constitution does not permit a second consecutive term in office, in March 2015 Mujica withdrew to his property on the edge of Montevideo, where he set up an agricultural education centre. He continued to be active in politics as a national senator until 2018 (the year a film about his life, El Pepe, Una Vida Suprema, came out), and in talks and on social media, where his radical idealism found a new young audience. 'Life is a beautiful adventure and a miracle,' he said. 'We are too focused on wealth and not on happiness. We are focused only on doing things and, before you know it, life has passed you by.' He is survived by Lucía. José (Pepe) Alberto Mujica Cordano, revolutionary and politician, born 20 May 1935; died 13 May 2025
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Haunting Sounds of The World's Largest Living Thing Revealed
We can now hear one of the largest and most ancient living organisms on Earth whisper with the tremble of a million leaves echoing through its roots. The forest made of a single tree known as Pando ("I spread" in Latin) has 47,000 stems (all with the same DNA) sprouting from a shared root system over 100 acres (40 hectares) of Utah. Here, this lone male quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) gradually grew into a massive 6,000 metric tons of life, making it the largest living organism in the world in terms of mass. After possibly 12,000 years of life on Earth, this massive plant, whose tree-like stems tower up to 24 meters (80 feet), surely has plenty to say. And recent recordings let us 'hear' it like never before. "The findings are tantalizing," Lance Oditt, founder of Friends of Pando, said when the project was unveiled in 2023. "While it started as art, we see enormous potential for use in science. Wind, converted to vibration (sound) and traveling the root system, could also reveal the inner workings of Pando's vast hidden hydraulic system in a non-destructive manner." Sound artist Jeff Rice experimentally placed a hydrophone inside a hollow at the base of a branch and threaded it down to the tree's roots, not expecting to hear much. "Hydrophones don't just need water to work," Rice said. "They can pick up vibrations from surfaces like roots as well, and when I put on my headphones, I was instantly surprised. Something was happening. There was a faint sound." Amid a thunderstorm, that sound increased – the device captured an eerie low rumbling. "What you're hearing, I think, is the sound of millions of leaves in the forest, vibrating the tree and passing down through the branches, down into the earth," Rice explained when he presented his recordings to the 184th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. The hydrophone also captured the thumps from tapping on a branch 90 feet away, even though that sound was not audible through the air at that distance. This supports the theory that Pando's root system is interconnected, but a proper experimental setup would be required to confirm the sound wasn't traveling through the soil. Such shared root systems are common in colonial quaking aspens, but the size and age of Pando make it unique. While quaking aspens can reproduce through seeds, they seldom grow from them as pollination is rare since large aspen stands are usually only one sex, being clones of the same individual. Friends of Pando invited Rice as an artist in residence to try and better understand this strange, enormous entity. Oditt hopes to use sound to map Pando's tangle of roots. "The sounds are beautiful and interesting, but from a practical standpoint, natural sounds can be used to document the health of an environment," said Rice. "They are a record of the local biodiversity, and they provide a baseline that can be measured against environmental change." Rice also recorded Pando's leaves, bark, and the surrounding ecosystem. "Friends of Pando plans to use the data gathered as the basis for additional studies on water movement, how branch arrays are related to one another, insect colonies, and root depth, all of which we know little about today," said Oditt. Sadly, this magnificent tree is deteriorating, leaving researchers concerned that Pando's days and all the forest life it supports are numbered. Human activities, including clearing and slaughtering predators that keep down herbivore numbers, eat away at this ancient being. All the more reason to listen to 'The Trembling Giant' while it can still share its secrets. An earlier version of this article was published in May 2023. Scientists Found The 'Lid' Keeping The Yellowstone Supervolcano From Erupting Sausage Dog Rescued After Surviving Solo For 529 Days on Remote Island The Modern Cat May Have Emerged From Ancient Egyptian Ritual Sacrifice
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pando Electric and GOGETit Announce Strategic Partnership to Streamline Utility Management for Multifamily Properties
Revolutionizing Multifamily Portfolios with a Unified Solution for EV Charging, Solar, Wi-Fi, and Financial Reporting SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pando Electric, the leader in affordable, high-power EV charging solutions for multifamily housing, has announced a new partnership with GOGETit, a premier utility asset management software provider. This collaboration offers properties a unified and comprehensive turnkey solution to streamline financial reporting, solar panel optimization, EV charging, and Wi-Fi networks across multifamily portfolios. The combined solution simplifies operations, reduces overhead, and empowers properties to maximize Net Operating Income (NOI) while enhancing the resident experience. Pando Electric's smart EV charging outlets, known for cutting installation costs by up to 70% and eliminating ongoing maintenance expenses, will now seamlessly integrate with GOGETit's advanced utility asset management platform. "At Pando Electric, we're committed to delivering more than just affordable EV charging—we want to simplify the entire property management experience," said Aaron Li, CEO of Pando Electric. "By partnering with GOGETit, we're enabling multifamily owners to automate all their critical utility systems from a single platform, saving time, reducing costs, and providing an unmatched resident experience." GOGETit's software automates utility reporting and system monitoring for solar, battery, Wi-Fi networks, and now EV charging, driving efficiency and ensuring peak performance. With this partnership, property managers can now oversee all their energy and connectivity systems while streamlining financial reporting—all within a unified platform. "This partnership with Pando Electric is a natural fit," said Barend Venter, CEO of GOGETit. "Our mission is to simplify utility management for multifamily owners and operators. By integrating Pando's cutting-edge EV charging technology, we're delivering a truly end-to-end solution that boosts NOI and supports sustainable living." About Pando ElectricPando Electric offers affordable, high-power EV charging smart outlets for multifamily housing, cutting installation costs by up to 70% and eliminating ongoing maintenance fees. Pando's scalable charging solutions ensure property owners can meet growing EV demand while maximizing returns. Learn more at About GOGETitGOGETit provides advanced utility asset management software that simplifies operations and enhances asset performance. By automating reporting and system monitoring, GOGETit empowers property owners and operators to manage solar, battery, EV, and Wi-Fi systems with ease, increasing NOI, driving efficiency, and prioritizing resident satisfaction. For more information, visit Media Contacts:Pando ElectricJoseph NagleHead of Corporate 303-881-0494 GOGETitRobyn HorwitzDirector of View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Pando Electric Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Daytona 500 brought to you by a truck; terror in I-80 tunnel; AI trucking teams
On Episode 805 of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Dooner is talking about meeting Daytona 500 winner William Byron and what he learned from his trucking team about what it takes to take the checkered flag. Terror in Wyoming as a truck crash leaves three dead in the Green River Tunnel. We take a look at what happened in this horrible incident. We'll meet Pando CEO and co-founder Nitin Jayakrishnan. Pando has secured $36 million across two funding rounds to create AI teammates for supply chain. Their focus? Invoicing errors and procurement inefficiencies. FreightWaves' Tony Mulvey breaks down the latest truckload market data in SONAR. Has the market recovery stalled out? Ever have a claim filed against you by a shipper? Travelers' Craig Leinauer shares everything we need to know about claims best practices. Catch new shows live at noon EDT Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on FreightWaves LinkedIn, Facebook, X or YouTube, or on demand by looking up WHAT THE TRUCK?!? on your favorite podcast player and at 5 p.m. Eastern on SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking Channel 146. Watch on YouTube Check out the WTT merch store Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts The post Daytona 500 brought to you by a truck; terror in I-80 tunnel; AI trucking teams | WHAT THE TRUCK?!? appeared first on FreightWaves.
