A New Gilded Age with a Technological Twist

In the wake of some of the wealthiest tech company leaders standing directly behind the new President during his inauguration we pause for thought on the implications of this image. America is all about business as has been said. Yet this blatant show of force implies an even greater co-option of government by the elites reminding us of the days of Henry George who argued against such excesses during the Gilded Age of the 19th century. This blog post considers how these two periods mirror each other and what makes our current experience different from legal support to technology influence to a leadership mentality at odds with democratic principles.

AI Point/Counterpoint Position Statement

A debate was held on the topic of AI and its impact on humanity. The interactive conversation between James Cusick and Tom Rossman, both Board Trustees at the Henry George School of Social Science, took on pressing issues related to artificial intelligence, technology, employment, society, and the risks and promises of the future of recent developments in this fast-changing field. The position argued by James was that AI was not a threat to humanity. The focus of this viewpoint was on the impact of AI and other technologies on equity as opposed to all factors driving equity.

AI Social Risk? Real or Imagined by AI?

The development of AI has been centuries in the making. We notice it’s seeming instantaneous emergence in recent years as if it landed in a flash of light. Yet this lightning strike has been glowing within the computing world for over 75 years and much longer with philosophers and mathematicians. In most cases with the emergence of new technologies there have been some growing pains. However, science, engineering, and policy have acted to improve the solutions at each step. In this blog entry we will turn our attention to the history of AI, some of its key building blocks, and how its maturation may impact the types of social interests which Henry George discussed at length.

Eat the Poor, Boise Edition

In a nation with so many problems, being informed about issues from on high can be jarring. What’s not so harsh is finding practical solutions performed by people living with the pain. But, unfortunately, we have to descend to the ground for that.

Tech Driven Monopolies and the Threat of Innovation

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.

South Africa: Land of Hope and Many Sins

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.

Erie, Pennsylvania: Missteps and Next Steps

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

What’s Increasing Dramatically in Somalia?

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.

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

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.

Manchester Waits in the Wings

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.