Gongol.com Archives: June 2017

Brian Gongol


June 28, 2017

News Sweden saves in advance to prepare for demographic waves

Social-market/"soft" socialist economies can survive in the long term under a very limited set of conditions: A small, culturally homogenous society with some sort of government-owned (or heavily-taxed) resource wealth with judicious and far-sighted government management, along with a strong entrepreneurial class, pragmatic programs for ensuring useful (and near-universal) employment. That's an extremely tough set of conditions to satisfy, and the Nordic countries are a rare set of examples where these conditions have been more or less satisfied.

Computers and the Internet Using social media analysis to predict riots much faster than calls to the police

A development that requires urgent review and consideration by the civilian authorities who should always oversee the use of police power. There's a whole lot of good that could be done with these tools -- but also an enormous amount of harm.

Business and Finance Rent-seeking is on the rise

What happens when people who are just out to capture royalties and other "rents" displace people who create productive new enterprises? Nothing good, it would seem.

Threats and Hazards TSA might use sheet explosives as reason to scan your reading materials

Is it explicitly the objective of the government to get a look at what you're reading? No. But even if it isn't the intent, it could very well end up being the effect.

News Three Chicago police officers indicted on felony charges of conspiracy

A special prosecutor thinks they engaged in a felonious cover-up of the shooting of Laquan McDonald

Weather and Disasters A long evening of storms in Iowa

Feeling at the end of a tornado watch: "Oh, so I don't have to worry about a black cloud of death dropping randomly out of the sky anymore?"

Science and Technology "Smart" nightlights are here

Connecting to WiFi lets them tap into information that can be signaled in color: Like weather alerts...or incoming emails


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