No. 275 - 2021/12/26

Will 2022 be better than 2021?

Navigating a turbulent future? What to expect from the prolonged COVID-19, climate change consequences, economic downturn, rapid social changes, surveillance capitalism and technologies, power hungry politicians, etc.  Armageddon in the year of the Tiger 2022?  Some predict 2022 will be better than ever.

We will learn some prediction models, examine and debate the forecast made by Bill Gates and other well-known CEOs across the market. No preparation necessary. 

No. 274 - 2021/12/19

Does the end always justify the means in war?

The Art of War, written in the 16th century by an Italian Renaissance political philosopher and historian Niccolò Machiavelli, is often compared with the Art of War written by a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. What are the differences between these two philosophers?  “Offense versus defense.  Manipulation versus subtlety. Tyranny versus non-violence.” How are they applicable in modern warfare? What can we learn from them?

No. 273 - 2021/12/12

Should we talk more about war?

In / around three dozen countries, there are ongoing wars or minor conflicts as well as drug-wars. How often do you talk about war with your family and friends? How do you explain a bombing or a landmine that kill(ed) or injure(ed) innocent people, especially to children? Should we learn age-appropriate proper language to talk about war?

No. 272 - 2021/12/05

Si vis pacem, para bellum?

In English, "If you want peace, prepare for war."  It is one of the famous epigrams,  which comes from the book "Epitoma Rei Militaris," by the Roman general Vegetius.  Similarly, related to war and peace, John F. Kennedy said “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind” and H. G. Wells stated “If we don’t end war, war will end us”.   

An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, and sometimes surprising or satirical statement. Various kinds of epigram were written by Ancient Greeks, Romans or more recently by the  English.  It can also be an aphorism or an adage, and they are similar and confused. The difference is the presence of wit or sarcasm, and an epigram is usually an original saying or remark.

If there is a threat of war, how can or should we assess and prepare for it? By war games? It will be much easier if we know when it might be coming or not.  Or, could it be a surprise?

No. 271 - 2021/11/28

Is Taiwan defensible? 

PART TWO: NEGATIVE ARGUMENT

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” This is one of the famous quotes in The Art of War by Sun Tzu.  Is unification a top priority for the Chinese Communist Party? Can PRC take ROC without a fight? If so, how?

At the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in July, Xi declared “anyone who tries to do that (bully, oppress or subjugate China) will have their heads bashed bloody against the great wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people.”  Should this be taken seriously?

Although there are currently 17 territorial disputes between the PRC and its neighboring countries, the PRC has prospered without invading Taiwan for the past 70 years.  According to the poll conducted in September 2020, only 6 percent of Taiwanese citizens preferred eventual or immediate unification. 

Why is China “accelerating the large-scale expansion of its nuclear forces” and building a larger, diversified, and more sophisticated nuclear arsenal (including a nuclear-capable hypersonic space weapon) now?

No. 270 - 2021/11/21

Is Taiwan defensible? 

PART ONE: AFFIRMATIVE ARGUMENT

Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC), shares maritime borders with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest. It is a highly democratic nation, considered as a developed country, and the 21st-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and the 20th-largest by PPP (purchasing power parity) measures.

In the second quarter of 2021, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) recorded a market share of just under 53 percent in the global semiconductor foundry market, which many  high-tech (including military) industries have been depending on.

The ROC’s economy is maturing, and its population is aging while the birth rate is very low (1.07 births per woman), threatening its economic security. Its military strength is ranked 22 of 140, while the PRC is ranked 3 after the U.S. and Russia. 

The political status of Taiwan has been contentious, and tensions are mounting between the U.S. and PRC over ROC. Why do western countries back Taiwan despite their pro-China policies? Why does the PRC send so many warplanes into ROC’s airspace but doesn’t attack?

No. 269 - 2021/11/14

Do drone pilots deserve medals?

Drones are aircraft with no on-board pilots, also known as UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), etc., and they have been used for both commercial and military applications for over a century since a small radio-controlled aircraft, Britain’s Aerial Target, was first tested in 1917. 

The global drone market size is growing rapidly especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is expected to reach US $41.3B (more than half for military) by 2026 at 9.4% CAGR.  The latest military drones incorporate highly sophisticated AI systems with more offensive capabilities; however, the targets have been often missed, killing hundreds of innocent civilians. How? Why?

We will learn how various types of drone hardware and drone attack strategy work (or don’t work) under different circumstances, and examine ways of judging them morally by evaluating the publicly accessible information. 

No. 268 - 2021/11/07

Should we read War and Peace?

War and Peace is a literary work mixed with chapters on history and philosophy by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, published in 1869.  It is considered to be one of the best books ever written.  It demonstrates a true passion for living, and it doesn’t present war in a positive way, and it asks big questions in little ways. 

“At its core War and Peace is a book about people trying to find their footing in a world being turned upside down by war, social and political change, and spiritual confusion.” (Andrew Kaufman)  

But, it’s very long (1225 pages), there are many characters, the character names are almost impossible to remember, it’s difficult to understand, Tolstoy himself is depressing, and it requires great patience to finish reading . Why is it important to read war and peace especially after the COVID-19 pandemic?  Are there any other books similar to War and Peace?

No. 267 - 2021/10/31

Should we celebrate the United Nations Day?

The United Nations (UN) day is observed on October 24, every year since 1948. UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. While multilateralism remains “committed to solving global challenges”, it is “struggling to find the path to effective implementation,”  the deputy UN chief said last Sunday.  

A competency to understand, respect and work well with people from diverse cultures is increasingly important in an interconnected and mutually dependent world. Isn't it time to raise the (true) global awareness by recognizing the significance of the UN Day?  What are some of the alternatives?

No. 266 - 2021/10/24

Is it time to revise the Sustainable Development Goals?

The SDGs, set up in 2015 by the UN General Assembly," are a collection of 17 interconnected global goals to "achieve a better and more sustainable future for all" by 2030. Many governments, business entities, NGOs (with the highest level engagement in Asia Pacific) were galvanized by them. A recent research indicated that "87% of CEOs believe the SDGs provide an opportunity to rethink approaches to sustainable value creation."  

The top 3 SDGs identified were SDG 13 (Climate Action) , SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production, which are directly impacted by business. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has set back efforts to accomplish the initial targets. Are the original goals fit for the post-pandemic era? Is the need for change to make SDGs stronger than ever?

No. 265 - 2021/10/17

Is the UN corrupt?

The United Nations is part of the UN system. The UN has 15 specialized agencies (e.g., FAO, IMF, WHO, WORLD BANK, etc.) and seven other related organizations (e.g., IAEA, IOM, OPCW, WTO, etc.).   They are autonomous,  and carry out various functions on behalf of the UN.

The relationship agreements  between the UN and the specialized agencies are highly complex and political, as revealed in a recent statement by the WORLD BANK pertaining to the data irregularities on the ‘Doing Business’ report 2018 and 2020. 

Some of the leading UN members have struggled in pursuing positive goals with the specialized agencies of the UN. Are these agencies used as forums for political wrangle rather than the practical tasks for which they were founded? 

No. 264 - 2021/10/10

Does the UN fuel an illusion of global cooperation?

The global community is facing unprecedented challenges, from pandemic, global warming, cyber attacks, moral relativism, to nuclear proliferation.

The exigent and pressing necessity for global cooperation has never been so clear. Is the United Nations suitable for meeting these projected threats, or does it only build a castle in the air with empty promises?

We will examine part of a parliament debate conducted by distinguished speakers at the Oxford Union in England, including high-level former UN officials and representatives.

No. 263 - 2021/10/03

Is the UN obsolete?

The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) established on 25 April 1945. The 4 main principles of the UN include the equality and self-determination of nations, respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the obligation of member countries to obey the Charter, to cooperate with the UN Security Council and to use peaceful means to resolve conflicts.

Its total revenue for 2020 was over 62 Billion USD, and the U.S. , China and Japan and Germany finance some 49% of the entire UN budget.

The world that we live in now is incomparably different from 76 years ago in many critical areas. The UN has encompassed numerous arguments regarding various aspects of the organization, such as policy, ideology, equality of representation, administration, ability to enforce rulings, and ideological bias. With COVID-19 pandemic, climate changes, conspiratorial theories and movements, terrorism, cyber warfare, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, etc., does the system created at the end of WWII function effectively and efficiently?

No. 262 - 2021/09/26

LOGICAL FALLACIES - PART 4 OF 4

Is the devil’s voice sweet to hear?

“Plandemic” is a product of planned disinformation amplifying the COVID-19 “infodemic” where various fallacies are intentionally used. 15 such logical fallacies will be reviewed to deconstruct the logic of “Plandemic.” 

No. 261 - 2021/09/19

LOGICAL FALLACIES - PART 3 OF 4

Between the devil and the deep blue sea?

“Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea” is an American popular song, originally published in 1931. It became a widely recorded standard, and one of the notable recordings was made by George Harrison - the lead guitarist of the Beatles in 2002.  This phrase means that you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.  (Collins)

Many situations now can be explained by applying the original meaning of this song. More COVID-19 related information and misinformation will be examined to spot logical fallacies. No preparation required !!  

No. 260 - 2021/09/12

LOGICAL FALLACIES - PART 2 OF 4

Is the devil omnipresent? 

COVID-19 related videos and sentences, containing several types of logical fallacies, will be examined together.  For basic information on logical fallacies, please check the reference links. 

No. 259 - 2021/09/05

LOGICAL FALLACIES - PART 1 OF 4

Is the devil in the details?

At the Munich Security Conference last year, the director general of the World Health Organization stated "we’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic."  Since then, an epidemic became a pandemic, and the new variants of COVID-19 virus have been circulating around the world, so is misinformation.  One way to critically evaluate such information is to look for "logical fallacies,"  which are errors in reasoning that make an argument unsound. We will examine some COVID-19 related sentences to learn frequently used "logical fallacies."

No. 258 - 2021/08/29

Will you get a booster shot?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine, which will be marketed as Comirnaty, in individuals 16 years of age and older. It continues to be available under EUA for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for a third dose in certain immunocompromised people. At the same time, several countries will begin wide distribution of Covid booster shots next month, while moral and other critical questions arise over vaccine equity. 

Currently, scientists are divided on the subject of COVID-19 booster shots, but most of them  believe that achieving global immunity should be more important than providing more shots to those who have been vaccinated in rich countries. Furthermore, Some believe that not attaining sufficient global immunity could set the way for new variants of COVID-19, which could be more deadly than the variants we have already seen (e.g., Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta)

"We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket," a WHO official said.

No. 257 - 2021/08/22

Can we stop the next pandemic?

Climate change is one of the factors that hastens the spread of viruses. Experts warn that the next pandemic is already happening. For example, the tiger mosquito, a carrier for the chikungunya tropical virus, is now moving into Europe and America. At the same time, some of the zombie pathogens are believed to be hiding in the Arctic Permafrost. The connection between climate change and pandemics will be a focal point for the debate.

No. 256 - 2021/08/15

Is the COVID-19 pandemic becoming endemic?

Many scientists warn that the COVID-19 virus will continue to circulate globally even if the currently available vaccines limit the further spread. Does this mean that the virus has become "endemic"?

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared pandemic only twice in the past - for influenza in 1918 and for influenza H1N1 in 2009. The Covid-19 was classified as pandemic on 11 March 2020, when there were already more than 120,000 cases in at least 114 countries.

Who can "officially" declare a pandemic? What are the differences between pandemic, epidemic and endemic? Should we understand these differences to prepare for future crises?

No. 255 - 2021/08/08

Should COVID-19 vaccine be mandated?

Although COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe, effective and life-saving, COVID-19 is continuing to spread around the world. New CDC evidence shows that the Delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox.

COVID-19 vaccines are now mandatory at many U.S. companies (e.g., Disney, Facebook, Google, Lyft, Netflix, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Washington Post,  Twitter、 Uber, Walmart Corporate).

Should all companies and public offices require employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines? Is it legal? 

No. 254 - 2021/08/01

Should "medal bonus" for Paralympians be the same as (or higher than) Olympians?

For the first time, the U.S. Paralympic Medalists are earning as much as the U.S. Olympians. $37,500 for a gold medal, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.  In the previous Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the U.S. Paralympians received $7,500 for every gold medal, $5,250 for a silver and $3,750 for a bronze -- one fifth of the Olympians on average.  [NPR]

As for Japan, starting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese Paralympians receive 3 million yen ($27,000) for a gold medal, 2 million yen ($18,000) for silver and 1 million yen ($9,000) for bronze, where the Japanese Olympians receive 5 million yen ($45,000) for a gold medal, and the same amount for silver and bronze. [JSA]

In some countries (e.g., Singapore, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Italy, Hungary, Russia, France), Olympians and Paralympians receive more money as a "medal bonus" than the U.S. and Japan in addition to other benefits and opportunities. [MU30]

The cost of being a Paralympic Athlete is much higher compared to an Olympic Athlete, and finding sponsorship is extremely difficult. Should a Paralympian receive a bigger "medal bonus" than an Olympian? [BI]

No. 253 - 2021/07/25

Are cyber attacks justified?

More than 51% of the world's population is online, and roughly one million more people join the internet each day. Two-thirds of the entire population use a mobile device with little fear about various cyber attacks.

During just the first 6 months of 2021, CSIS have identified 71 significant cyber incidents from throughout the world. The economic impact of cyber attacks is roughly one percent of global GDP ($600 billion) each year - Not Slowing Down.

At every Olympics since 2012, highly trained 'state-sponsored' hackers have targeted athletes, officials, and fans throughout the world via PCs, tablets, and smartphones, etc. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has given them an especially bigger window due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why do cyber attacks happen? Just for financial gain? Are they justified under international law? How are they different from conventional weapons?

No. 252 - 2021/07/18

Do athletes perform better with no spectators?

A number of eligible athletes will not attend the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, which include a well-known Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios citing empty stadiums and injury. 

Over 11,000 athletes (almost 50% are women) will be competing without spectators. Without fans, could their performance be better or worse? The Yerkes-Dodson law, originally developed in 1908,  explains an empirical relationship between pressure and performance.

According to a new study, men run slower and women faster without an audience, and women generally perform better in complex tasks, and there are significant differences between team sports and individual sports in terms of performance with an audience.

We will examine the effects of social facilitation and social inhibition on them.

No. 251 - 2021/07/11

‘One size fits all’ for COVID-19 vaccines?

Close to 50% of the US population (330M) has been fully vaccinated, compared to only 4.5% in India.  The average weight of American men in 2015-16 was 197.7 pounds (90 kg); for women, it was 170.6 pounds (77 kg). Is there a correlation between body weight and "minimal effective dose"?  Dr. Masahiro Kami, Director of the Medical Governance Research Institute, strongly supports this theory and has been warning about the current procedure.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security says "it’s not a dose-response relationship. It’s about finding the perfect dose for the immune system to get the right amount of stimulation, it’s pretty much ‘one size fits all’."  Then, what is the perfect dose? Pfizer's starting dose was determined without sufficient dose justification data. (*)

(*) 4.3. Justification for Dose -- 

https://cdn.pfizer.com/pfizercom/2020-11/C4591001_Clinical_Protocol_Nov2020.pdf

No. 250 - 2021/07/04

Is revolution justified?

We live in a world of upheaval. Revolution, rebellion, insurrection, uprising or coup d'etat is a refusal of obedience, and has been taking place throughout human history in various forms of methods, duration and propelling ideology.

Some of the important revolutions that changed the world are the American Revolution (1765 - 1783), the French Revolution (1789 - 1799), the Russian Revolution (1917), the Chinese Revolution (1940s), the Cuban Revolution (1959), the Iranian Revolution (1979), the East European Revolutions (1989), etc. 

Do revolutions have to be bloody? Could there be a nonviolent revolution? Most recently, there have been multiple protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world and against racial inequality and police brutality in the U.S.  

Most dictators don’t like jokes, but a Serbian political activist, Srđa Popović, shared his guide to changing the world, in which he explained why jokes (Louhtivism) are more powerful than guns and revolutions. Revolutions are serious business. Do they really work?

No. 249 - 2021/06/27

Should parents be friends with their children?

The COVID-19 pandemic changed parent-child interactions. Each family is different, but families are not democracies. Parents have a financial duty to support their children, and must provide the basic needs of their children (i.e., clothing, housing, medical care, and education). Is much of the parenting role functional or emotional? How about friendships? How are they different from parent-child relationships? Is it possible for parents to be friends (instead of frenemies) with their children? 

No. 248 - 2021/06/20

Should meditation be taught in schools?

For over a year, children have been mentally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at home and at school. A large number of students (nearly a third) have developed depression or post traumatic stress disorder. Can practicing meditation or mindfulness-based stress therapy help reduce or reverse these symptoms? What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness? Should we teach these skills in schools?

No. 247 - 2021/06/13

Should children have an allowance? 

Money plays a big role in our lives. Most parents recognize the importance of teaching children about money regardless of the types of family structures and income levels. Allowance or pocket money  can help children learn the basics of money management (e.g., how to budget, save, avoid debt, etc.)  On the other hand, it may undermine the importance of contributing to the family especially when children don't need the money. What are the pros and the cons of giving allowances to children?

No. 246 - 2021/06/06

Should we teach handwriting in schools?

Computers, tablets and smartphones are changing how we write. Some think that handwriting is obsolete. Learning cursive handwriting is no longer compulsory in many schools, instead they require teaching "keyboard proficiency.''

While many benefits of teaching handwriting are well-recognized by brain scientists, child psychologists, and most teachers in schools, others argue that teaching penmanship is time consuming and ignores a natural progression of our culture.

No. 245 - 2021/05/30

Should we teach Morse Code to children?

In addition to more than 7000 languages spoken in the world, there are Universal Languages, such as Mathematics, HTML, Morse Code, Binary Code, Symbols, Music, Painting, Dance, Body Language, Baby Language, etc. 

After the coronavirus outbreak started in China, there was a relative openness for online media to report on the virus; however, it soon ended by the government 'CENSORING THE TRUTH.'  Most coronavirus posts, written in Morse code or KLINGON, were deleted.

To help people with a variety of disabilities to communicate, Morse code has been employed as an assistive technology because it can be translated by computer and used in a speaking communication aid.

Morse code is easy to learn, and can be used under a variety of situations including "SOS (Save Our Ship)." Could learning Morse code be a valuable skill even in the 21st century? Why should we learn it, and teach it to children?

No. 244 - 2021/05/23

Do children need to read more fiction or nonfiction?

Novel is a fictitious and invented prose narrative, which sometimes represents character and action with some degree of realism. The word "novel" also referred to a new strain of a virus that has not been seen before, as in a novel coronavirus.

The longest novel recorded in the Guinness World Book is À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust written in French, which contains nearly 1.3 million words.

While children benefit from any type of reading, many studies suggest that reading fiction (as opposed to non-fiction) is crucial for children's development (e.g., critical thinking, empathy, theory of mind, etc.).  

Christine Seifert, at Westminster College, stated that "reading nonfiction might certainly be valuable for collecting knowledge, it does little to develop EQ, a far more elusive goal."

Some psychologists indicate that children prefer nonfiction over fantasy and that adults prefer fiction. Should parents encourage children to read more fiction over non-fiction?

No. 243 - 2021/05/16

Is grade-skipping beneficial?

Grade skipping is used for academically talented students as a form of academic acceleration. For many of them, it is beneficial. But for some of them, it can be harmful to their social and emotional development, and it could lead to bullying or irretrievable emotional damage. What are the pros and cons of grade-skipping? How does it affect IQ, EQ, CQ or PQ? How did COVID-19 benefit the gifted learner?

No. 242 - 2021/05/09

Is Redshirting beneficial?

According to data released on March 3rd 2021 by UNICEF, schools for more than 168 million children globally have been completely closed for almost an entire year due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Furthermore, around 214 million children globally – or 1 in 7 – have missed more than three-quarters of their in-person learning.

"Redshirting" is a college athlete who is kept out of varsity competition for a year in order to extend eligibility.  It also refers to the practice of postponing entrance into school of age eligible children so that they can have extra time for intellectual or physical growth.  Most redshirted children, however, tend to be white, male and from a high socioeconomic status.

What are the Pros and Cons of Redshirting? Should it be universally accepted? Is this right for your child?

No. 241 - 2021/05/02

Can Playing Video Games Be Good for Kids?

The first video game, Tennis for Two, was created by an American Physicist William Alfred Higinbotham in 1958. According to GamingShift, there are now over 1 million video games, and many of them contain extreme violence, strong sexual content, use of inappropriate substances, and loot-boxes. How do they affect children and adolescents particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic? Is it parents' responsibility to monitor what they play? What are the benefits of playing video games? What are the pitfalls?

No. 240 - 2021/04/25

Should we be doing 'Sharenting'?

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, multiple reports and statistics  indicate a sharp rise in numerous types of cybercrime.  Some of the cyber criminals specifically target children and youngsters. They employ highly sophisticated techniques and technologies. Most parents may not understand its magnitude.

"Sharenting" refers to the parents habitually using social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LINE, Twitter, YouTube) to proudly "show off" their children to friends and family. What are the causes for sharenting? Should responsible parents be doing it? Do the advantages of sharenting outweigh any negatives?

No. 239 - 2021/04/18

Is bed sharing beneficial?

There are differences between bed-sharing and co-sleeping though they are often used interchangeably. Bed-sharing means sleeping in the same bed as your baby, or sharing the same sleeping surface. Co-sleeping means sleeping at a close distance from your baby, occasionally in the same or futon in the same quarter.  On the verge of the fiery spread of Coronavirus, is it a healthy practice?

It is one of the cultural beliefs, in many western cultures, that "Children who sleep on their own will be more independent." Is this true? Many parents have chosen controversial "Cry It Out Methods" for Sleep Training to "teach" babies to sleep independently. What are the pros and cons of this approach? What are baby sleep alternatives to crying it out?

In India, despite its Western influences, bedsharing remains a strong tradition -- even in households where children have their own rooms. It is generally practiced by over 70% of the household in India and Indonesia, and over 80% in Sri Lanka and Vietnam, and more than 90% in Japan.  And, in Italy, “bed sharing” is also common. (*)

(*) The average household size for India is 4.6, 3.9 for Indonesia, 3.8 for Vietnam -- https://population.un.org/Household/index.html#/countries/

No. 238 - 2021/04/11

Should we know the origin of coronavirus?

Many forms of racism, xenophobia and hate crime have been reported almost every day throughout the world. The former U.S. president Mr. Trump kept calling COVID-19 "China Virus," "Chinese Virus," and "Kung Flu" as part of his campaign strategy. Did he really know the origin of coronavirus? Did he unnecessarily add fuel on the fire between the U.S. and China?

Multiple hypotheses into Covid origins have yet no clear answers. The data from a WHO team of experts to Wuhan offer little insight into how the virus first emerged, leaving many questions still not explained. Can it be scientifically elucidated or will the truth be swept under the rug?

Scientists still do not know the origin of Ebola virus, which was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976. Moreover, according to the record at Smithsonian Institute, the 1918 flu pandemic may have begun in Haskell County, Kansas, U.S.A.  

Approximately 10 nonillion (10 to the 31st power) individual viruses exist on earth. Will Occam's razor be applicable to identify the origin of some viruses?

No. 237 - 2021/04/04

Does Type T personality have more advantages than disadvantages?

Multiple methods exist to describe personality types. JTI (Jungian Type Index), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), DISC assessment are some of them. The concept of Type-T (thrill-seeking) personality was formulated by a humanistic psychologist Frank H. Farley.  A transdisciplinary scholar at the University of Bergen in Norway, Mimi E. Lam, has recently identified that "people developed Covid-19 personalities during the pandemic" -- deniers, contemplators, worriers, warriors & more. Having coped with isolation, stress, and many uncertainties for over a year, what types of personality are more advantageous than the others and prepare you to better cope with the future?

No. 236 - 2021/03/28

Would you accept 'vaccine passports' ?

Multiple countries are considering the implementation of 'vaccine passports' for domestic and international uses. Israel was the first country who introduced such a program called "Green Pass" in February. Will their experience be used as a model for other countries? Do you feel that it's an advantage or a further complication?

No. 235 - 2021/03/21

Has COVID-19 made cryptocurrency more attractive?”

What is virtual currency? How is it different from cryptocurrency?  What is the relationship between blockchain and cryptocurrency?  More than 1000 types of cryptocurrency that presently exist.  Bitcoin is just the best known one of such examples. These became more powerful and popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, at the same time there are some problems and risks hindering their growth.

No. 234 - 2021/03/14

Can we let our guard down?

There are at least seven different vaccines being used already and almost 200 more in development. People are told that the current vaccine works against the different variants or it might not work and you'll need a booster shot.  It appears that some states and municipalities are relaxing their COVID rules.

No. 233 - 2021/03/07

Does COVID-19 Mean The End For Globalization?

The opposite of GLOBALISM is NATIONALISM. There has been a trend towards increased nationalism amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Is there a future for globalization and what will it depend on?

No. 232 - 2021/02/28

Is Seeing Believing?

No. 231 - 2021/02/21

Can we prevent “Cobra Effect” during the COVID-19 pandemic?

No. 230 - 2021/02/14

Is it okay to laugh during a pandemic?

No. 229 - 2021/02/07

Is Roemer's law applicable to the COVID-19 pandemic?

No. 228 - 2021/01/31

Are you prepared to die?

No. 227 - 2021/01/24

Is chocolate good for you?

No. 226 - 2021/01/17

Are there better alternatives to New Year’s Resolution?

No. 225 - 2021/01/10

Are New Year's resolutions worth making?