WELL, MAYBE THIS WILL NOT BE THE WEEK OF PEACE WITH IRAN

On Monday of last week, I indicated that nothing much would happen in world affairs.  Today, I hint that the next five days will probably be more newsworthy.

I was planning to feature President Trump and his success at returning to the peace discussions with Iran, but no news about this happening any time soon, so I'll spend this Memorial Day on my topics of interest.  First, I'll continue what I said yesterday about how Ukraine is devilishly now making like uncomfortable for Russia and Putin.  The U.S, has significantly reduced sending aid, but NATO has taken over.  According to Google AI:

Ukraine manufactures thousands of drones daily by relying heavily on imported commercial parts (primarily from China), rapid 3D printing, and agile startup ecosystems. European NATO funding and joint ventures play a massive role in scaling this up. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Here is how the production and funding ecosystem works:

1. Supply Chain & Manufacturing

• Commercial Components: The majority of small, cheap FPV (First Person View) drones are assembled using off-the-shelf parts—such as rotors, motors, and computer chips.
• Domestic Scalability: Ukraine utilizes a massive network of decentralized, 3D-printed workshops and factories. Government-backed defense clusters, like Brave1, fast-track these innovations directly from the private sector to the military. [1, 2, 3]

2. European NATO Funding & Collaboration

• Joint Production Deals: Ukraine partners directly with European manufacturers. For example, a consortium of Ukrainian, Danish, and Lithuanian manufacturers signed an 800 million-euro joint venture to scale production, while Ukrainian defense firms have opened localized manufacturing hubs directly in the UK.

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  The LEAP Initiative: Five European nations (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK) established the LEAP (Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms) initiative to jointly manufacture low-cost autonomous drones using Ukrainian combat expertise. [1, 2]

3. AI and Technology Transfer

• European NATO allies heavily invest in Ukrainian software and AI modules. By applying machine-vision and autonomous flight software, these drones can bypass Russian electronic warfare (EW) and strike targets autonomously.
• Companies such as Buntar Aerospace and Quantum-Systems (operating under Germany's "Build with Ukraine" program) pair Ukrainian battlefield software with Western capital to mass-produce advanced surveillance and strike platforms. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Because of this rapid development, the knowledge loop flows in reverse: NATO is now adopting Ukrainian drone and electronic warfare tactics into its own standard military doctrines. [1]

Ukraine has also deployed over 200 military experts and counter-drone specialists to the Middle East to help Arab nations defend against Iranian-designed drones.

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  Saudi Arabia:  President Volodmyr Zelenskyy and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a cooperative agreement.
• Qatar:  Worked out a 10-year defense partnership.
• UAE and others:  Established security collaborations with the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan. on defensive measure.

Vladimir Putin saw that article about Ukraine, so revenged by bombarding Kyiv, killing at least four people and damaging schools and residential buildings overnight this weekend.  Barrage lasted several hours and among the rockets was a ballistic Oreshnik missile, capable of carrying warheads, targeting Bila Tserkva, a city of 200,000 people, 50 miles south of Kyiv.  And in case you missed it, Kiev was in 2018 replaced by Kyiv.

I also yesterday co-featured Victor Wembanyama.  Around the time I was composing that posting, he scored 33 points, got 8 rebounds, plus 5 assists, 3 block and 2 steals in 31 minutes of play, as the San Antonio Spurs crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder 103-82.  This win tied their Western Conference Finals series at 2-2.  Oh, he played like the other basketball star I mentioned yesterday, Caitlin Clark, by making a 3-pointer from half-court.  Worth a watch....click on that.

Today is a particularly poignant day of reflection for Memorial Day, for this is the 250th anniversary of the founding of the USA.  

• Liberty and Freedom did not come free.  Perhaps 1.3 million American service members died and 1.5 million have been wounded in warfare.
• I don't see much of this anymore, but I recall many years ago people wearing a red poppy flower on this day.

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  The tradition began near the end of World War I, inspired by these red flowers blooming on the battlefields of Flanders.  Also worn on Veterans Day, November 11.
• Poppies grow better in cooler climates, so they are not commercially farmed in Hawaii.

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  However, some keep an artificial red poppy for this use.
• Otherwise, Veterans of Foreign War posts distribute the red artificial Buddy Poppies to raise money for needy veterans.  Usually at high-traffic areas, and more specifically on Oahu at local military exchange locations, commissaries and major grocery stores.  Should also be occurring in your area.

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  Major League Baseball players will today wear a symbolic red poppy patch on their left side of the jersey, featuring the phrase, Lest We Forget.  Began to be worn in 2019, and this tradition will continue.

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  Today is the opening chapter of Freedom 250, the nationwide initiative leading up to America's semiquincentennial independence celebration.
• Flags today should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, then raised to full-staff until sunset.
• Some pause for one minute of silence today at 3PM (local time) to remember and honor those who died while in service.

A week ago, I reviewed a movie featuring Sally Fields and this talking octopus.  In the news today is the discovery of a blue octopus in the Galapagos.

Checked with Google AI, and found out that blue is the rarest color in nature, and a blue octopus is both rare and highly sought-after.  

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  This octopus was discovered in a submersible near Darwin Island at a depth of 5800-feet in 2015, but video was only recently released.
• The researchers scooped it up, brought into the sub and placed in bucket of chilled seawater.

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  Of course it die because of the pressure difference, but then immersed in 4% formalin for 24 hours, and transferred to a 95% ethanol solution for storage to be catalogued for the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

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  In 2017 they communicated with the Field Museum in Chicago, where a CT scanner could be used to take a closer look.
• Finally in 2022, this octopus was sent to the museum. 
• Most Thaumelodone species are maroon.
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  This one looked blue using the underwater camera, but was actually white, or more closely clear on top and purple on the bottom.  So it is NOT blue.
• Thus, reclassified as a Microeledone.
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  An estimated 91% of all potential marine species have yet to be discovered.  
• The Field's people worry that deep-sea mining is coming to the east Equatorial Pacific.  Very bad for deep sea life.
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  The Galapagos Islands are actually located 1500 miles south of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, where this mining will occur.  
• However, underwater plumes and currents could reach the islands.
• The CCZ is massive, spans 1.7 million square miles between Hawaii and Mexico.

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