Opinions
NASCAR bullish on future after promising rebound
The freefall is over, rock bottom hit more than a year ago, the restart button officially activated. Just how cool is NASCAR these days? Michael Jordan said before Sunday’s championship race he sets his clock to watch every week. NASCAR needs more fans to want to be like Mike, and… Read
In swaps we trust? Disappearing dollars drive currency trading dependence
As dollars dry up, global finance is growing increasingly dependent on opaque currency trading to keep cash flowing. Banks and other short-term dollar borrowers are becoming ever more reliant on the $3.2 trillion-a-day foreign exchange swap market, data shows, leaving them dangerously exposed should U.S. lenders stop feeding the system,… Read
He, she, they: Americans and the choice of gender pronoun
A few years ago Emily Gardner, who identifies as "more feminine than not," instructed family members of a new preference to be referred to as "they" rather than "she." The 23-year-old represents a growing trend among progressive Americans, who are claiming a right to choose their own pronoun, regardless of… Read
Britain’s politicians would be wrong to undo rail closures
“The Reshaping of British Railways”, published in 1963, made its principal author, Dr Richard Beeching, the most hated civil servant in Britain. Beeching became so notorious his name is still invoked in an election campaign almost 60 years later, with politicians promising to reverse some of the line closures he… Read
Scarier than fiction: Climate worry driving 'cli-fi' boom
Imagine a world where storms inundate coastal megacities, entire species become extinct in the blink of an eye, and conflicts are fought over dwindling natural resources. Not so difficult in 2019, perhaps. After a year of devastating extreme weather and worldwide unrest over the emergency posed by climate change, topics… Read
A call to ethical action in the sports industry
From the dawn of the Olympiad to Tokyo 2020, sports have always captivated and united us as a global society. Where one might otherwise see divisiveness, sports have made communities whole. In times of doubt, they have instilled patriotism. Even during difficult days, they have helped us to define ourselves… Read
Why did one Ohio school district decide to arm its teachers?
At the entrance to Sidney High School in small-town Ohio, there is a poster which reads: "Inside this building, our children are protected by an armed and trained response team." In rural Shelby County, law enforcement trained some teachers to fight back, should an attacker threaten students. They were among… Read
As climate change hits crops, debate heats up over use of plant gene data
Rich and poor countries are at loggerheads over how to share benefits from genetic plant data that could help breed crops better able to withstand climate change, as negotiations to revise a global treaty are set to resume in Rome on Monday. The little-known agreement is seen as crucial for… Read
Separating fact from fiction in Trump's impeachment hearings
President Donald Trump has been fulminating for weeks over the impeachment inquiry, which he sees as a persecution cooked up by Democrats and "Never Trumpers." In reality, a collection of witnesses that includes Still Trumpers, Once Trumpers and the apolitical civil service has put together a largely cohesive account of… Read
U.S. military ops in Syria getting complicated for Washington
The Pentagon is facing tough questions about the U.S. military's role in Syria. Troops are now limited to a smaller, tougher to defend zone, and focused on protecting oil fields that legally belong to Damascus. The following is a look at the key factors in play: A retreat in name… Read
