~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, pandemics ~
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Interview: The Emerging Ethics of Innovative Brain Research
Significant investment has been put toward brain research, including the development of new technologies to treat some conditions. These technologies may very well improve lives, but they also raise a host of ethical issues
Former Ambassador Chas Freeman: Possible Disintegration of Civilian Government at Year End
Chas Freeman sends a sobering warning.
Why US Belligerence Towards Russia Is Likely to Continue No Matter Who Is President
Biden might be senile and Blinken stupid, but it’s the plutocrats and their think tanks that run the show in Washington.
The Rate Cuts Powell Dangled in Front of Markets May Slam into Inflationary Fiscal & Economic Policies of Whoever Is in the White House Next Year
Are both parties set to continue stimulative fiscal policy, leaving Powell or a successor to reapply the monetary policy brake?
A Stern Note to Readers
While we encourage well-informed, well-argued, and sometimes energetic discussions, rancor is another matter. Yesterday, a long thread on Lambert’s post on the RFK, Jr. speech where RFK, Jr. excoriated the contemporary Democratic party and endorsed Trump too often descended into advocacy and bile. Several times in the past I have had to shut off comments […]
The Chokepoint: A Ubiquitous and Powerful Tool for Strategic Analysis
The chokepoint concept with a lot of maps and many examples
eSportswashing: How the Youth Gaming Market Is Being Targeted by Major Climate Polluters
Climate and “Badvertising”
Beyond Leviathan: What Is the State & the Challenge To Transcend It?
István Mészáros’ “Beyond Leviathan” described origins of the state, its evolution, the need to move beyond it and how to meet that challenge
Kamala’s Failed Opportunity
In her DNC speech, Kamala Harris embraced Republican language on the economy. So how deep does her purported progressivism run?
Kennedy Suspends Campaign, Endorses Trump
Holy moley!
2:00PM Water Cooler 8/23/2024
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics; Kennedy live briefing at 2:00PM ET; This week’s RCP polling averages (neck and neck); New Covid charts (no improvements); The toll of scientific lies ~
