Explore Watching the short film Planktonium, the latest from Dutch filmmaker Jan van IJken, can feel like a meditation. The miniscule lifeforms he films under microscope mesmerize. Planktonium feels imbued with the spirit, you might say, of another Dutchman, one from the 17th century, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the father of microbiology. “Leeuwenhoek delighted most in… Continue reading The Little Miracles in the Invisible World of Plankton
Hedge Funds Flood Into Oil As Threat Of Omicron Disruption Recedes
by John Kemp, Reuters senior energy market analyst Oil markets attracted a new wave of interest from investors at the end of 2021 and start of 2022, as the threat of widespread economic and aviation disruption from Omicron seemed to recede. Hedge funds and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 31 million barrels in… Continue reading Hedge Funds Flood Into Oil As Threat Of Omicron Disruption Recedes
Racially Sensitive ‘Restorative’ School Discipline Isn’t Behaving Very Well
The fight outside North High School in Denver was about to turn more violent as one girl wrapped a bike chain around her fist to strike the other. Just before the attacker used the weapon, school staff arrived and restrained her, ending the fight but not the story. Most high schools would have referred the… Continue reading Racially Sensitive ‘Restorative’ School Discipline Isn’t Behaving Very Well
God Sees Past Our ‘Game Face’
I’m a terrible card player. I apparently wear my emotions on my sleeve, to the extent that I am unable to bluff my way out of anything. Whether it’s Uno, cribbage, poker or spoons, one of my friends once told me that playing cards with me is like playing with someone wearing mirrored sunglasses. In… Continue reading God Sees Past Our ‘Game Face’
AI Is Already Making Moral Choices for Us. Now What?
Do we need artificial intelligence to tell us what’s right and wrong? The idea might strike you as repulsive. Many regard their morals, whatever the source, as central to who they are. This isn’t something to outsource to a machine. But everyone faces morally uncertain situations, and on occasion, we seek the input of others.… Continue reading AI Is Already Making Moral Choices for Us. Now What?
“Trade Of 2022” Surges As China’s Most Distressed Property Developers Near Bailout
On Saturday, we discussed that what may arguably be the trade of the year, one with the most convex, best Upside/Downside opportunities we have encountered in a while, had emerged in China courtesy of the latest panic in Beijing which saw China’s authorities finally realize they need to step in and bail out the imploding… Continue reading “Trade Of 2022” Surges As China’s Most Distressed Property Developers Near Bailout
The End of America? It’s Not That Hard to Imagine
Lately, we keep hearing about this or that “threat to the republic,” ironically mostly involving something Republicans are doing or purporting to do, but I’m starting to think maybe (stop me if you’ve heard this before) the real threat is a cabal of powerful people who don’t want to give up power. My recent column… Continue reading The End of America? It’s Not That Hard to Imagine
And Nothing Would Again be Casual and Small
We were lingering over the lasagna, enjoying a casual dinner after the women’s conference this weekend. Our beloved Bishop Olmsted, sitting to my right, was listening attentively to one of the volunteers describe her devotion to the Carmelite saints. She shared enthusiastically about her affection for St. Teresa of Avila. She paused thoughtfully. “I also… Continue reading And Nothing Would Again be Casual and Small
What Advantages Do Institutional Traders Have Over Retail Traders?
A lot is made of the relative advantages that institutional traders have over retail traders. Some financial professionals even take the view that the disparity between the two groups is so wide that it’s not even worth trading retail. They say that retail traders’ time is better spent learning a transferable skill while passively… Continue reading What Advantages Do Institutional Traders Have Over Retail Traders?
Can We Prove the World Isn’t a Simulation?
How do you know you’re not in a computer simulation right now? This idea is often known as the simulation hypothesis. The simulation hypothesis says simply: “We are living in a computer simulation.” What is it to be living in a simulation? As I understand this notion, it’s all about interacting with the simulation. When… Continue reading Can We Prove the World Isn’t a Simulation?