For as much as dyspeptic futurists grumble that “they promised us jet-packs” whenever it comes time to measure the utopian predictions of the past century with the decidedly more mundane present, the reality, as author William Gibson famously said, is that “the future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” Consider the self-driving…
Tags: Politics
What price should the US pay for an Israel-Saudi Arabia peace pact?
Peace of a sort may be at hand between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal reported the two longtime antagonists are preparing to normalize relations, with Saudi Arabia finally giving formal recognition to Israel in return for “concessions to the Palestinians, U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear help.” There are still “long odds,”…
Is the US creating a mini NATO in Asia?
There are two questions on the agenda as President Joe Biden hosts a trilateral summit at Camp David this weekend with the leaders of Japan and South Korea, Fumio Kishida and Yoon Suk Yeol, respectively. Can Biden draw the two countries, which have a long history of enmity and warfare, into a fruitful alliance? And…
A brief history of third parties in the US
The 2024 presidential race is shaping up as a rematch between Democrat Joe Biden, the incumbent, and Donald Trump, his Republican predecessor. But what if a third party shows up to throw a wild card into the mix? That may happen. NBC News reported that No Labels may step in to offer another option to…
Meta’s Canadian news blockade is about more than just money
When the Canadian parliament passed the benignly named Online News Act this summer, its goal was to ensure “fair revenue sharing between digital platforms and news outlets,” according to a government summary of the legislation. In effect, the law requires search engines and social media giants to “engage in a bargaining process — and binding arbitration,…
Meta’s Canadian news blockade is about more than just money
When the Canadian parliament passed the benignly named Online News Act this summer, its goal was to ensure “fair revenue sharing between digital platforms and news outlets,” according to a government summary of the legislation. In effect, the law requires search engines and social media giants to “engage in a bargaining process — and binding arbitration,…
Who is 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a member of one of the most influential political families in American history, and that name recognition has followed him throughout his career, first as an environmental lawyer and later as an anti-vaccine crusader. Now, the 69-year-old is focusing on his latest endeavor: ousting President Biden and becoming the 2024…
Who is 2024 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson?
After spending decades writing self-help books, starting nonprofits dedicated to building peace, and serving as a self-described “spiritual thought leader,” Marianne Williamson has pivoted to politics. The 71-year-old is a two-time Democratic presidential candidate who first ran in 2020 and has now joined the 2024 race. When she announced her second long-shot bid in March 2023, Williamson…
10 things you need to know today: August 19, 2023
1 Hurricane Hilary bringing unprecedented storm warnings to Southwest Hurricane Hilary is likely to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to the Southwest United States and parts of Mexico this weekend, as the region prepares for a rare tropical storm to make landfall. Hilary will likely still be a hurricane when it reaches the Baja California…
Is the US creating a mini NATO in Asia?
There are two questions on the agenda as President Joe Biden hosts a trilateral summit at Camp David this weekend with the leaders of Japan and South Korea, Fumio Kishida and Yoon Suk Yeol, respectively. Can Biden draw the two countries, which have a long history of enmity and warfare, into a fruitful alliance? And…