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Why Marijuana Legalization Evades Us

Why Marijuana Legalization Evades Us

By: Rohan Upadhyay The debate over legalizing marijuana has become a hot-button and commonly debated issue in the past few years since Colorado legalized weed in 2012. Regardless of one’s personal stance, we should acknowledge that representatives in Washington are not having an honest conversation about how best to reduce drug abuse. The simple truth is that the “War on Drugs” is a product of corruption and didn’t come from actually trying to resolve the drug problem. We must address that, since it began in 1971 under President Nixon, the War on Drugs has not significantly reduced drug abuse in…
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A Changing Global Economy Requires Investment and Support of Higher Education

A Changing Global Economy Requires Investment and Support of Higher Education

By: Anton Kozyrev It would be a gross understatement to say that education has a big impact on individuals’ lives. It is often the defining factor that shapes the trajectory of one’s life, all thanks to the immense financial and economic influences it has. The United States consistently spends more on elementary and secondary education per student than any other nation in the world -- and the U.S. has among the highest secondary school graduation rates in the world. This has undoubtedly been a major factor in the U.S.’ economic growth and development in the past decades. However, as the…
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Despite Struggling Economy, “Everything Rally” Powers Through New Year

Despite Struggling Economy, “Everything Rally” Powers Through New Year

By: Trevor Jones A phenomenon known as the “Santa Claus Rally” is thought to generally bring each year to a close on a bullish note in stock markets, due to optimism around the Christmas and holiday season. In fact, over the last 70 years, the last five trading days of December and the first two of the new year have seen a positive return on the S&P 500 79% of the time. While this has not been as pronounced over the last decade, the principle of holiday optimism still holds true. This year, the year-end rally has been much more…
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From Anbang to Ant Group, the Delicate Balance of Innovation and Regulation in Xi’s China

From Anbang to Ant Group, the Delicate Balance of Innovation and Regulation in Xi’s China

By: Anton Kozyrev Freedom to explore drives innovation. While some may argue over the precise wording, this sentiment generally holds in a variety of circumstances. This phenomenon is seen at a variety of levels within the economy. Google, for instance, has its well-known “20% Time” policy in which it urges employees to spend 20% of their time freely working on new projects. This opportunity to explore has led to the development of numerous noteworthy products, from Gmail to AdSense. Freedom also drives innovation on a larger scale, particularly when it comes to national economic growth. Many proponents of a laissez-faire…
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How COVID-19 Exposed America’s Healthcare System

How COVID-19 Exposed America’s Healthcare System

By: Rohan Upadhyay America can’t catch a break with COVID-19. People stay home to avoid getting sick, so they can’t pay the bills and risk getting evicted. If people can’t stay home, then they’re more at risk of getting infected. And even protesting to change eviction policies puts people at risk of catching COVID-19 as people gather in large groups. On top of that, when people get laid off, they lose their health insurance. Just what you need in a pandemic. Healthcare is tied to Employment — Bad Idea In the US, people mainly get health insurance through their employers.…
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Hong Kong-Singapore Travel Bubble’s Deeper Implications for the Future of the Global Economy

Hong Kong-Singapore Travel Bubble’s Deeper Implications for the Future of the Global Economy

By: Anton Kozyrev In 2003, the SARS epidemic hit Hong Kong – and it hit hard.  Hong Kong would go on to suffer 299 deaths related to the airborne illness – one-fifth of the global death total. This harrowing chapter served as the impetus for a major shift in Hong Kong officials and legislators’ mentality and approach to infectious diseases. The people of Hong Kong became more diligent when it came to illness, with a variety of measures ranging from habitually wearing surgical masks for a cold or flu to comprehensive education on how illnesses are transmitted. These efforts proved…
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Platzspitz Park: The Key to the Opioid Crisis?

Platzspitz Park: The Key to the Opioid Crisis?

By: Trevor Jones Heroin users at Platzspitz Park, June 1990 Drug use, especially the opioid crisis, is one of the most prominent public health issues in the United States today. According to drugabuse.gov, a government-run site detailing the data about drug abuse in the United States, over 47,000 people die every year due to opioid overdose. The same webpage also states that 1,700,000 American citizens suffer from prescription opioid-related substance abuse disorders, as well as 652,000 with a heroin use disorder. While there is potential for these latter two statistics to overlap, the magnitude of these numbers is still alarming.…
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Why Tech Companies (And Prospective Employees) Should Be Happy About Biden’s Victory

Why Tech Companies (And Prospective Employees) Should Be Happy About Biden’s Victory

By: Dave Ghosh When President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office on January 20, 2021, many will cheer for a variety of reasons. It may be because the inauguration marks a change in rhetoric on the part of the leader of the United States. Or it may be because people want a different response to the pandemic. Or it may be because they were personally affected by some of President Trump’s policies. There will also be a lot of people who find themselves feeling disappointed; many of President Trump’s supporters bought into his vision of “law and order” and “mak[ing]…
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6 Ways to Become a More Sustainable Consumer

6 Ways to Become a More Sustainable Consumer

By: Jaime Svinth Consumerism-- we all do it, we all make a living off of it, and, quite frankly, our economy runs because of it. But, it’s 2020, and it’s time to get smart with our consumerism. When it comes to supporting the good of our world- both its people and the environment- we all can contribute, one dollar at a time.  However, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with knowing where to begin making sustainable choices. For some of us, we have already shifted towards supporting more ethical brands and ditching plastic straws, but, for others, it can be difficult…
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