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Every once in a while it’s important to do a policy piece, to show how society could work if we wanted to do the right things. Not because I think anyone in the West will implement enough good policy to matter, but to show that it is possible.

Back at my last corporate job I did a major workflow redesign. In the notes to management, along with the technical details were two highlighted lists. I noted that in order to receive the benefits of the change:

As a lawsuit against music generation startups Udio and Suno makes its way through the courts, an AI song in Germany has already made the Top 50

Democrats have pledged to close a tax loophole benefiting private equity billionaires — but amid millions in Wall Street donations, the party has failed to do so for years.

Krishan Shah, Phil Bunn and Marko Melolinna An important way in which monetary policy impacts the economy is through its effects on the capital expenditure of firms. When policy rates are raised (and as long as risk-premia remain unchanged) firms’ cost of capital increases. A higher cost of capital should lead firms to increase their … Continue reading High hurdles: evidence on corporate investment hurdle rates in the UK →

Earlier this week, the German statistical agency, De Statis released – Press release No.316 of 19 August 2024 – which confirmed that Germany continues to run policy settings that undermine the viability of the common currency. During the pandemic, Germany’s trade surplus declined significantly and the mainstream commentariat all pronounced that Germany had shifted direction…

“Uncommitted” Democratic delegates are staging a sit-in in front of the United Center until they get a call reversing DNC decision.

The post No Palestinian Americans Will Speak at Convention, DNC Decides appeared first on The Intercept.

The photojournalists face misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct after spending the night in police custody.

The post “I Was Pulled Off of the Sidewalk”: At Least 3 Journalists Arrested Covering DNC Protests appeared first on The Intercept.

Source - Patreon

Source - Patreon

Source - Patreon

Source - Patreon

Preparation time: 20 mins. This makes a nice change from the regular shrimp cocktail version, and is a great first course for an elegant dinner. For 4 servings you will need:1 lb. cooked shrimp; shelled and deveined. Sauce:½ cup sour cream4 Tbsp. mayonnaise½ Tbsp. lemon juice2 Tbsp. chili sauceDash sugar and paprikaSalt and black pepper […]

The fact checkers at the NY Times actually thought it was important to ding JB Pritzker for that joke: I just don’t know what to say anymore about what’s happening at the NY Times. They have totally lost their way. Other fact-checkers have had a different impression: Meanwhile, here’s the latest on Trump’s tremendous billionaire business savvy from Michael Hilzik in the LA Times: Hiding in plain sight in the first annual report issued by the parent company of Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform was a statement of inescapable, well, truth. Issued, perhaps appropriately, on April 1 by Trump Media and Technology Group, the report said: “The value of TMTG’s brand may diminish if the popularity of President Trump were to suffer.” This was cited as a “risk factor” in holding the company’s stock. So here we are. Since July 21, when President Joe Biden ended his campaign for reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run against Trump, the stock has been spiraling toward oblivion. TMTG may lack any meaningful remedy if President Donald J. Trump minimizes his future use of Truth Social.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came under fire from her closest allies on the left — including a fellow Squad member — after a raucous reception at the DNC.

The post Ilhan Omar Takes Swipe at AOC for Praising Kamala Harris’s Gaza Ceasefire Push appeared first on The Intercept.

Tim Walz spent 24 years in the Army National Guard. He retired to run for congress. Now they are swiftboating him which is totally expected. It’s what they do. But now they’ve exposed their own military lies. Vote Vets tweeted this: 🚨If you’re looking for a textbook example of Stolen Valor, look no further than Donald Trump’s campaign and the 50 Veterans who signed this letter. 29 of the signatures come from Republicans who falsely claim they retired from military service. The most egregious example is Ronny Jackson, the former Navy officer reduced in rank from Rear Admiral to Captain after retirement: Vote Vets sets the record straight: @RonnyJacksonTX – you were demoted from Rear Admiral to Captain – why are YOU committing stolen valor for claiming you’re a retired flag officer?  And that’s not the only indictment of Jackson. He was busted down in rank because of sexual harassment, drunken behavior and inappropriate distribution of narcotics. He really should shut his pie hole. How about the rest of these liars?

Are alternative milks a suitable replacement for dairy milk? A paradigm shift is occurring in milk consumption, with plant-based alternatives gaining traction due to perceptions of their positive environmental impacts.

The post Plant-based Milk appeared first on Progress in Political Economy (PPE).

Let’s keep it simple. From retired IDF geneneral Yitzhak Brick:

“All of our missiles, the ammunition, the precision-guided bombs, all the airplanes and bombs, it’s all from the U.S. The minute they turn off the tap, you can’t keep fighting. You have no capability. … Everyone understands that we can’t fight this war without the United States. Period.”

Note the source here is a pro-Israeli one. Brick goes on to say:

Brick went on to explain that President Joe Biden’s demand that Israel permit “humanitarian aid” to enter Gaza means that he is demanding that Israel keep Hamas fully supplied with food, water and fuel.

Australia has always found a way to bring in people suffering in conflict zones - when it wants to. There are well-established procedures that have worked effectively for decades between the immigration authorities and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to make it happen safely Continue reading »

Only a fool would think that removing the union from the equation will rid the building industry of criminality. But that is just what the ALP government is doing: introducing draconian laws with the backing of the Liberals to neuter the entire unionised workforce. It is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. It is Continue reading »