Category: Commentaries
One of the ironies of globalization (the natural phenomenon, not the ideology) is that many who seemingly oppose it are themselves inadvertently furthering it. Since the advent of…
(Contemplations on content and context) Kindle and Spotify are my best friends. They are my favorite digital apps because they bring me two of my favorite things in…
Globalism vs Nationalism? Not necessarily. We each define these terms as we see fit, but in my worldview they can be complimentary concepts rather than conflicting ones. I…
Why deviants of the world will never unite Frank Zappa once said that the world cannot progress without deviation. That’s why deviants are so necessary. One can quibble…
Unlike the weather, everybody not only talks about war, but many actually do something about it. Some start them, others try to end them, and over the centuries…
A few years back when nation branding expert Simon Anholt was interviewing civic leaders in Latvia he began each conversation with a simple question, “What is Latvia for?” Anholt usually poses this question to help governments…
A cursory look at Latvia’s National Development Plan 2014-2020 would suggest that foreign policy seems to play a very small role in Latvia’s future. The Foreign Ministry is…
You probably don’t have a ‘policy’ toward foreigners. Most people don’t.  We just deal with ‘em as we meet them. If you live in a city like London…
In Latvia, we celebrate the anniversary of our independence by laying flowers at the foot of our biggest dreams. We pay homage to a past that seems larger…
It’s Time to Rename Artificial Intelligence
It’s time to rename Artifical Intelligence Although AI is now a common part of our high tech lexicon, I have a problem with its semantical origins. As the…