Scott Ritter was set to travel to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, a major event, and make a presentation there. I am not clear on the details, but he also mentioned regularly on his various interviews that he was planning to visit many Russian cities and meet with Russians to promote better understanding between […]
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Latin America: From the Struggle for Independence (1808) to the Great War (1914)
An overview of political and economic post-colonial history in Latin America.
2:00PM Water Cooler 6/3/2024
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Trump’s conviction; unions can defeat the right (in Europe); Charlie Watts ~
Israel Boosterism Keeps Israel Bonds Afloat Even as Some Top Global Investors Exit
Israel bonds, an important element of Israel’s war financing, are coming under attack.
How Influencer Cartels Manipulate Social Media: Fraudulent Behaviour Hidden in Plain Sight
Influencer cartels can improve consumer welfare if they expand social media engagement to the target audience, but reduce welfare if they divert engagement to less relevant audiences. Rewarding engagement quantity encourages harmful collusion
Italy Pipes Up Against NATO Escalation as Court Ruling Could Cut Off Russian Gas Sooner Than Expected
Italy also faces major energy squeeze from Red Sea crisis. Will opposition to Project Ukraine solidify or will Rome go along as it usually does?
Ready Reckoner For Killing – The Raisi Assassination
Why the death of Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi looks more and more like an inside job rather than an accident.
The Twenty-First Century Executive Branch Is a Criminogenic Environment
Alexander Hamilton’s “energy in the Executive” has a downside.
How Workers Are Revolutionizing the South
USW’s Donetta Williams says workers are educating themselves about collective action, seeing through the right-wing corporate pandering, and then shrugging off the South’s anti-labor traditions to chart a path forward for their families.
Data Centers Set to Consume 9% of U.S. Electricity by 2030
Electricity demand is set to increase markedly thanks to uses like AI and cryptocurrencies.
Death and the Cinema
A discussion of film, even films about death, will hopefully come as a distraction from turbulent news.
2:00PM Water Cooler 5/31/2024
~ Today’s Water Cooler, politics and pandemics; aftermath of Trump’s conviction, including medical exam; Biden and the youth vote; CDC knew Covid was airborne January 30, 2020 ~
