Tech Driven Monopolies and the Threat of Innovation

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If you were born in the 1990s you might never have questioned the pervasiveness of companies like Google in the Internet domain. For you, such companies, products, services, and technologies have been ever present and seemingly unassailable.

Yet in the past few months we have seen the emergence of a set of technologies, especially ChatGPT, which have opened the real possibility of a technical and business threat to Google’s near monopoly on Internet search.

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South Africa: Land of Hope and Many Sins

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The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is a study in contrasts. It’s a history of colonialism, post-colonialism, then national liberation for all…a fast-paced evolution from around 1910 (when the Brits pulled out) until today. The rapid changes in politics and the very structure of society are watched with trepidation by South Africa’s neighbors and its citizens.

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Erie, Pennsylvania: Missteps and Next Steps

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This saga is slowly unfolding in Erie, Pennsylvania. By slow, we mean since 1960. Continue reading to see how this story unfolds.

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What’s Increasing Dramatically in Somalia?

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Somalia’s history has a long, consistent history as a cockpit of international trade from the fabled Kingdom of Punt sending cool stuff to the ancient Egyptians and finally welcoming Greek and Roman traders onto the coasts.  Punt was very good at playing every side against each other in the lucrative frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon trade. Punt later formed a trade cartel with Arab sea traders to jack up the prices of these hard-to-get items.

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A Canberra for the 21st Century: A New Capital Is Coming to Indonesia. Will Nusantara be Funded with Land Value Capture?

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Jakarta, Indonesia, has been a global crossroads since the 10th Century. Indonesia stands at the intersections of the Java Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Sunda Strait, which is as essential today as 500 years ago.

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Manchester Waits in the Wings

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When will people stop thinking that London is the ne plus ultra of the United Kingdom? London is unaffordable. It swoons over its exile population of grifters, the pollution is unbearable, and their bottomless brunches match Dubai in their tasty tastelessness. But, there’s a Britain beyond the M25 motorway.

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A Different Type of Land Value Tax In the Republic of Ireland

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Once Ireland was a rural and poverty-stricken land. Hundreds of years of British rule by a landed aristocracy sucked rent, food, and money out of the nation.

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Tomatoes, Robots, Civilization, and Farm Fresh Equity

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When we hear the word “Technology” we tend to think of electronics, flying cars, and the like. Since most of us live our lives as urbanites or suburbanites and few of us make a living farming, the Tech of Agriculture may seldom cross our minds. In this entry of the Tech & Society blog we will turn that around by asking how civilization even exists without the Agriculture Tech we rely on every day to stay alive. We will also look at how new and emerging technology including AI and robotics are shaping the future of Digital Agriculture and what this means on a global scale for Equity and economic fairness in light of the teachings of Henry George.

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The “Unland Land” Around Us

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Most of us have a shared understanding of what is meant when we hear the word land. Normally, people think of the ground underfoot or the plains stretching to the mountains or the contrast of the Earth and the sea. However, some technical abstractions can also be considered as land in the view of Henry George. In this blog entry we will discuss the societal implications of how we manage certain ethereal properties affecting satellites, cell phones, and even your Wifi connection. These naturally occurring elements are what I call “Unland Land.” As we will see they are universal, impactful, and highly valuable.

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Home Sweet Home: Or Required Refuge

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There is the Rule of Threes which states that: “Humans can survive three weeks without food, three days without water…” and so on. I was reminded of this recently when being suddenly forced to find emergency shelter. So much goes into providing housing including construction methods, fuel sources, safety systems, and more. This also led me to think about housing as a right and how some people are lacking in this essential service and why. In this post we delve into the thinking of Henry George on providing equitably for land use and housing access.

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