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Ultimately, does China or Russia (or the USA or Chile or someone else) stand to benefit the most from Antarctica?

Everyone is staking their claim to Antarctica these days; China just built its fourth research base there, which is shaped like a lantern. China’s now spending about $55 million per year on the Antarctic; 15-20 years ago, they were spending $20… Continue Reading

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Here’s what could really shift the future of American cities away from San Francisco, New York, and Boston

You could choke a horse on the Internet with lists about the “best city” or the “future city” of America — Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City and others have all topped different lists — and now there’s a new study… Continue Reading

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ObamaCare won’t cost America 2 million jobs, but the end of the Baby Boomers probably will

Big-time hubbub on the 2014 political front: ObamaCare is going to cost America 2 million jobs! Every Democrat is vulnerable! And… In reality, this isn’t going to happen the way it’s being discussed, but the amount of people in the U.S. workforce is… Continue Reading

Brazil, Canada and Australia have some of the lowest homophobia rates in the world

That above chart is from The Atlantic Cities; as you may know, the Sochi Winter Olympics begin this evening, and Russia hasn’t exactly been the friendliest of places for homosexuals leading up to the Games. If you look at the map, red… Continue Reading

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Suzanne Basso, executed last night in Texas, is only the 14th woman executed since 1976. Does that mean anything?

Suzanne Basso was executed last night in Texas — by lethal injection, but not by the trial version of lethal injection — thus becoming the 14th woman executed since 1976, and only the fourth since 2002 (about 12 years), three of those… Continue Reading

Abortion’s at its lowest level since 1973 (and everyone wants credit for that), but Republicans still want to end insurance coverage of abortion

I’m not going to write a lot about this, because while I know a few people who have had abortions, I’m (a) not a woman and (b) not tremendously well-informed on every nuance of the idea, so I feel like… Continue Reading

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If Chris Christie is done for and Marco Rubio isn’t ready (plus the water thing), could Mike Pence 2016 become an actual thing?

Breathless 2016 discussion time! Chris Christie: goose may be cooked. Marco Rubio: possibly his time? Mike Huckabee: lurking. Bobby Jindal: always lurking. All of them: would wake up on Election Day already in a huge hole to whoever the Democratic nominee is. And all of… Continue Reading

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Let’s all talk about creationism in schools ranging from Louisiana to South Dakota

South Dakota now wants to teach creationism/intelligent design in its schools. (Creationism is basically the idea that life, Earth and the universe are the product of a supernatural being, i.e. God.) Problem is, since about 1968, it’s been illegal to teach… Continue Reading