Expanding the Legacy
On the Battlefields of Ukraine, Mass Trumps Tech
On the undulating plains of Eastern Ukraine, a region largely devoid of topographic features, tech wizardry powers and shapes the ultimate, and most lethal, cat and mouse game ever. Here, loss of human life and military kit is accompanied by an upset and the unravelling of modern military doctrine. Whilst...
Production to Resume of Catalina PBY
A warbird is rising phoenix-like from the ashes. The lumbering yet graceful Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat of World War II vintage is about to receive a full makeover and re-enter production and service. Late last month, Catalina Aircraft of Florida announced the Next Generation Amphibious Aircraft (NGAA) based on...
Extremists Lose but Nobody Wins
Voters in Spain shied away from the extremes and handed a pyrrhic win of sorts to the opposition conservatives whilst also rewarding Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’ socialist party with a few extra seats in a hung parliament. Markets reacted with dismay at the inconclusive result of the vote which precludes...
AI to Drive Nail in Coffin of Long Stagnation
Recognised as one of the world’s most prestigious management consulting firms, though no stranger to controversy, McKinsey & Company is quite sanguine about the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) to the economy. Early adopters of the technology could see productivity gains of up to 25 percent by 2030. Over the...
Blowing the Whistle on AI
ChatGPT suffers from artificial hallucination with hints of sociopathy. If stumped, the much-hyped chatbot will brazenly resort to lying and spit out plausible-sounding answers compiled from random falsehoods. Unable to make it, the bot will happily fake it. In May, New York lawyer Steven A Schwartz discovered this the hard...
Seldom Down, Never Out
Echoes of the Franco Era still haunt Spain in subtle and often divisive ways. Now, a vibrant democracy, the country has taken decades to shed its past and rid society of the last vestiges and symbols of authoritarianism. A watershed moment was reached when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ordered the...
On the Frontlines of Climate Change and War
To mitigate the harmful effects of climate change requires the mobilisation of trillions of dollars. IFC Regional Vice-President for Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean Alfonso García Mora is encouraged by the outcome of COP27.
The Taciturn German to Watch
Germany and the Germans struggle to get comfortable donning the mantle of leadership circumstance has thrust upon the country. The nation and its leaders are visibly shocked by the rapid demise of the old world order and the unfolding ‘Zeitenwende’: the epochal tectonic shift that began with a global geopolitical rebasing and reached a disconcerting apex with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Common Sense Rules Supreme at Berkshire Hathaway
Admittedly, public speaking did not come easy to Mr Buffett – aka the Oracle of Omaha. He repeatedly confessed to ‘great trepidation’ when it came to addressing gatherings during his time at college. Taking a Dale Carnegie course changed that for the better. In fact, Mr Buffett’s diploma from the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People is the only plaque displayed at the Omaha office from where he rules the Berkshire Hathaway business empire.
WEF 2022: The World Is No Longer Flat
This week, a colourful cabal of cognoscenti gathered in Davos to offer diverse takes on the world’s most pressing issues. With climate change, war, pestilence, and a host of lesser plagues assailing the global village, there is no dearth of troubles nor a shortage of talking heads to address them. During a luncheon of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council on Wednesday, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser helpfully quipped that we all need to be mindful of the three Rs: Russia, Recession, and Rates.
