Hockey Sticks and Crosses

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Two types of images are key to understanding current debates about economic globalization: the hockey stick chart, representing the stunning and inexorable growth of some phenomenon; and the cross chart, whose lines represent changes in relative power and prosperity. There are good and bad hockey sticks, and the job of policy makers the world over is to harness the former while curbing the latter. But the domestic and international politics of addressing these hockey sticks is complicated by their intersection with distributive conflicts—which can be seen in the form of crosses.[…] Our debates about economic globalization tend to be siloed or polarized. Proponents of a given narrative will typically focus on one aspect of economic globalization, calling attention to the importance of a particular hockey stick or cross that epitomizes their cause, while largely ignoring the others. If we want to understand the complexity of the issues facing us—such that we can move toward useful interventions—we need to find ways of simultaneously keeping all these hockey sticks and crosses in our minds.”

Countries Are Starting to Give Wild Animals Legal Rights. Here’s Why.

“Panama is part of a growing list of countries and communities around the world latching on to the Rights of Nature movement, which seeks to grant wildlife a similar legal status to that of individuals and companies. While the strategy has so far been mostly used to protect whole ecosystems, such as forests and rivers, advocates of wild animals are starting to deploy it as well, hailing it as an essential tool to combat the biodiversity crisis. Despite existing environmental protections, the world continues to lose animal species at an alarming pace.”

Ghostwriter Returns With an A.I. Travis Scott Song, and Industry Allies

“The Ghostwriter team noted in a statement that it hoped to raise awareness about the creative and business possibilities of A.I. voice filters, comparing the technology to the early days of hip-hop sampling or user-generated content on YouTube.”

Everything is a remix. Even your voice. It opens up new kinds of business models. So time to have a fresh look at copyright. Can’t kill a ghost…

With TikTok and Lawsuits, Gen Z Takes on Climate Change

“With active lawsuits in five states, TikTok videos that mix humor and outrage, and marches in the streets, it’s a movement that is seeking to shape policy, sway elections and shift a narrative that its proponents say too often emphasizes climate catastrophes instead of the need to make the planet healthier and cleaner.”

The Generative AI Boom Could Fuel a New International Arms Race

“But AI algorithms developed in recent years could potentially mass-produce text, imagery, and video designed to deceive or persuade, or even carry out convincing interactions with people on social media platforms. A recent project suggests that launching such a campaign could cost just a few hundred dollars.”

Depp v. Heard Isn’t Trying to Change Your Mind

“The difference here is the democratizing nature of social media, which places a masked YouTuber on the same footing as an experienced legal analyst.”

It’s a must watch documentary on Netflix. It’s basically a manual of how the trial of former president Donald Trump will play out.

You Don’t Need Glasses…