Gary Isbell 
After years of sanctions, some leaders are calling to welcome Russia back to the community of nations. They point out lost business opportunities that might now be explored. However, let the investor beware. Despite appearances of resilience, Russia’s economy is not everything it seems to be. Making any new business deals will … Read more
At first glance, the United States and Canada seem like two siblings who grew up in the same neighborhood but chose slightly different paths. One drove a flashy car, dreamed big, and became the extrovert at every party. The other, while quieter and more contemplative, cultivated a reputation for politeness and pragmatic … Read more
In 1873, President Ulysses S. Grant tasked Colonel B. S. Alexander from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with assessing California’s water supply. Eventually, some 1,200 dams were built to manage what is both vital for California’s farming and the state’s most elusive resource. However, managing water was only part of the … Read more
The pleasure of drinking alcohol is deeply engraved in our culture. Whether used for festive toasts or quiet evening reflections, enjoying a bottle of wine enriches our lives, culture and relationships. However, wine and alcohol have their enemies. Some claim that even moderate drinking may be potentially carcinogenic. The government has recently … Read more
When social unrest breaks out in China, Communist Chinese authorities immediately suppress it. All information or public acts of solidarity are likewise silenced since these might be seen as a sure sign that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is losing control. Such suppression is becoming increasingly difficult. In 2024, a wave of … Read more
The diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandate is deceptive. Most people see it as measures “innocently” supporting “different groups.” Several prestigious American universities have pursued DEI as the latest trend. This effort is disastrous. As a result, some major firms now prefer not to hire their graduates. DEI distorts judgments needed in … Read more
Some promoters say Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a remedy for loneliness. They encourage users to develop “virtual companionships.” The tragic tale of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III, who hailed from Orlando, Florida, exemplifies the risks involved in such links. Sewell had Google’s Character.AI app create Daenerys Targaryen, a character that echoed someone from … Read more
Perhaps one of the best-turned phrases of recent memory comes from a 2019 Wall Street Journal article. In it, political scholar Joshua Muravchik opined that “Socialism has failed everywhere it’s been tried—even where it succeeded.” Since about 1900, the United States has flirted with socialism. Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson … Read more
Animal rights activists never stop trying to establish the notion of equality among men and animals. To them, animals must be considered as persons, even though they do not have the rational and cognizant faculties of humans. They are instinct-driven and thus do not have the light of reason from which rights … Read more
The ongoing collapse of the Cuban electrical grid is not a typical power outage that most countries experience but the result of decades-long systemic neglect, underinvestment and reliance on obsolete technologies. Most Cuban power plants were built in the seventies and were expected to last 20 or 30 years. However, they are … Read more