“The synonym for search finds itself in big antitrust trouble. This story is part of a Recode series about Big Tech and antitrust. Over the last several weeks, we’ve covered what’s happening with Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google. “There’s a new Big Tech antitrust bill in town, and this one is especially painful for… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Economy
A wild new court decision would blow up much of the government’s ability to operate
Vox: “The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued yet another astonishing decision on Wednesday. Jarkesy v. SEC seeks to dismantle much of the system the federal government uses to enforce longstanding laws and to determine who is eligible for federal benefits. And it does so in defiance of numerous Supreme Court… Continue Reading
$2 Trillion, or 70%, Pandemic Wealth Gain of Nation’s 740 Richest
Americans For Tax Fairness: “American billionaires saw their collective net worth climb by $2 trillion, or 70%, during the first two years of the pandemic to a staggering $5 trillion, according to Forbes data analyzed by Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF). [See table below and all data here] But none of that wealth growth—the main… Continue Reading
The Best Time to Buy Cars, Appliances, and Other Things That Have Been Hit Hard by Inflation
Lifehacker – If you can’t necessarily shop cheap, you might as well shop smart. “2022 has been a rough year for the average consumer’s wallet. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the United States is facing an 8.3% increase in inflation in the last twelve months, affecting nearly every industry. Since wages have not… Continue Reading
Insurance is one of the major barriers to abortion care in the U.S. That’s intentional
Fast Company: “…About half of Americans—more than 158 million people—are insured through an employer, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. And while two studies have found that a majority of Americans with employer-based insurance do have coverage for abortion, research indicates that only about 4 in 10 privately insured patients actually use that insurance to… Continue Reading
Big Tech in Financial Services
CRS Report – Big Tech in Financial Services, May 16, 2022: “For the past decade or so, “Big Tech”—which hereinafter refers to the large technology companies Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook (now Meta Platforms), unless otherwise noted—has been offering a variety of financial services products to retail customers. Big Tech uses advanced data analysis and… Continue Reading
Why This Computer Scientist Says All Cryptocurrency Should “Die in a Fire”
Current Affairs, May 2022 – UC-Berkeley’s Nicholas Weaver has been studying cryptocurrency for years. He thinks it’s a terrible idea that will end in disaster. “Despite being hyped in expensive Super Bowl ads, cryptocurrency is now having a difficult moment. As the New York Times reports, “the crypto world went into a full meltdown this… Continue Reading
Drought in Numbers 2022 – restoration for readiness and resilience
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification – Drought around the world (1900-2022) “More than 10 million people lost their lives due to major drought events in the past century, causing several hundred billion USD in economic losses worldwide, and the numbers are rising (Guha-Sapir, D. et al., 2021) Severe drought affects Africa more than any… Continue Reading
Supply Disruptions and the U.S. Economy
CRS Insight: Supply Disruptions and the U.S. Economy, “The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the production of many goods and services. Although those disruptions have waned since spring 2020, some continue to constrain production, exacerbating inflationary pressures. The Biden Administration has announced a series of initiatives to address supply chain disruptions, which are detailed in CRS… Continue Reading
The Atlantic Introducing an Expanded Books Section
The Atlantic: “…That quality of literature—and the criticism that helps make sense of it—is a large part of why we’re excited to be expanding books coverage at The Atlantic. Since its founding in 1857, this magazine “of Literature, Art, and Politics” has been home to great writing about the momentous books and literary debates of… Continue Reading
Revealed: the ‘carbon bombs’ set to trigger catastrophic climate breakdown
The Guardian, Exclusive: “The world’s biggest fossil fuel firms are quietly planning scores of “carbon bomb” oil and gas projects that would drive the climate past internationally agreed temperature limits with catastrophic global impacts, a Guardian investigation shows. The exclusive data shows these firms are in effect placing multibillion-dollar bets against humanity halting global heating.… Continue Reading
The Great Resignation: The toll taken on the legal field and what comes next
ABA Journal: “The pandemic has reshaped thinking around the value of work. The Thomson Reuters Stellar Performance: Skills and Progression Mid-Year Survey uncovered three specific priorities legal professionals are factoring into their career decisions. Balance: Young professionals are more in tune with work-life balance and place a higher value on mental well-being, leisure and other… Continue Reading
