This week, as the world digests the surprising results of the US elections, our thoughts continue to be occupied by what the future holds under the new presidency. Not surprisingly, Trump's win has already been dissected time and time again in the media, and will be for some time to come.
With this in mind, our suggested reading material this week all relates to Trump to a greater or lesser degree...
Avi Mizrahi kicks off with his favourite read of the week...
Assange’s Confession
This week in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory I suggest you read Julian Assange’s statement on the US elections.
Avi Mizrahi
Editor
In my opinion, Wikileaks is one of the most important organizations in our time and needs to be understood by people for what it really is and what it isn’t.
During the heat of the battle, political elements in the US tried to tarnish the group to defend their candidate when some of her secrets became public.
Hopefully, now that this episode is behind us, they will reject the notion that Wikileaks is biased and possibly cooperate when they have the chance to be whistleblowers.
In my eyes, the most important part of the statement is this: “The First Amendment does not privilege old media, with its corporate advertisers and dependencies on incumbent power factions, over WikiLeaks’ model of scientific journalism or an individual’s decision to inform their friends on social media.
The First Amendment unapologetically nurtures the democratization of knowledge. With the Internet, it has reached its full potential.”
A Sign of Our Times
On a lighter note this week, I came across this article about emojis in The Verge, discussing how, since the
thinking face emoji was released in 2015, it has been used as a symbol for sarcasm or response to ironic statements.
Rosemary Barnes
Editor
According to the article, it replaced the shruggie when there were no better words to describe absurdity.
Well, we’re are now about to get the emoji we deserve for the year to come: the 'shocked face with an exploding head'!
This was the emoji we could have used when Trump won the election, not just because of the surprise result, but also when we learned once again that the electoral college is flawed!
More emojis are soon expected, including the barfing emoji, shushing face and a cursing face, giving us a glance at the kind of future symbols we’ll use and need for the year ahead.
President Trump: a Boost of Energy
One of the main processes championed by US president Barack Obama was increasing environmental regulations in the energy industry. These steps have put some tough constraints on the fracking industry and coal producers. He has also promoted the usage of green energy, at the expense of the more traditional sources of oil, gas and coal.
Michael Pearl
Head Of Business Intelligence
Hillary Clinton pledged to continue the policy of the incumbent president, and even stated in May that she is going to “put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business”.
Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to repeal some of Obama’s environmental legislation, such as the Clean Power Plan, limiting the energy sector.
Trumps’ view of the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)? “What they do is a disgrace,” he said, and has hinted he will close the organization altogether.
Now that Trump has become the president-elect, against all odds, the energy sector is anxious to see his actions in this regard.Read my full contribution here.
We conclude another week of stories that our editors are reading. Feel free to share your views in the comment section and any recommendations of your own. We look forward to hearing your opinions!
Check out our previous posts here:
Brexit Revisited, Tom Hanks and The Decline of NFL
Climate Change, Cyber Attacks and the Return of Communism
Reputation Management…It’s All Rigged
Too Big to Jail and Where the Brexit Bankers Will Go
Death and Taxes…and a $10 Billion Scandal
Multiplanetary Species and Climate Change
The Mass-Text Manhunt and Fixing the Blue Screen of Death
The Red Pill and the Encyclopedia Reader
A Less-Cash Society and a $10 Billion Scandal
Coffee, Genes and All The Rest
Taking a Little Trip and Trading’s Resemblence to Poker
The Perils of Low Interest Rates and Subprime Auto Loans
No Gold Medals for Waste, Corruption….or Smog
No Doubt The Most Brutal Fight Yet
Robots, Cyber Motives and a Trader’s Addiction
An Attractive Commodity and the Pyschology Behind the Far Right
Banking on Pokemon and a Philosophical Victory
A New Breed of Plutocrats and China’s New Weapon
Gold Standard After Brexit and a matter of National Identity
Genetically Edited Humans And Electronic Persons
Computerised Storytelling And Quantitative Easing Doldrums
Eyeing Up This Year’s Biggest Tech IPO And The Search For Quantum Questions
Financial Efficiencies And Inefficiencies
The Bank Robber And The Psychologist
Fly Me To The Moon….And Bremain In The EU
Brexit: Ice-Cream Magic Or An Artistic Defeat
Virtual Reality and the Dark Side of Shaming
