All posts tagged: Commentary

Commentary: The old carmakers are running on empty

Commentary: The old carmakers are running on empty

Published by Sam Flores

WESTERN AUTOMAKERS WILL SEARCH FOR EXITS Finally, a study that that showed London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone was having a measurable impact on childhood lung development and cutting asthma and other lung diseases. While there had been anecdotal evidence from California that high EV penetration and the electrification of buses was having an impact on asthma and improving school attendance, this London study is irrefutable evidence that the internal combustion engine and the fossil fuel it combusts have been killing people prematurely. So, with the auto industry a major employer in many countries, what will be the response of governments globally. Trump’s America has tried to sustain domestic manufacturing with high tariffs but his trade war with Canada which is deeply integrated into domestic supply chains is causing a lot of havoc, particularly for the Detroit Three (Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors). Canada, which has already opened a window for imports from China, may follow Spain’s lead and offer unused factories to China’s automakers. No one has yet adopted China’s model and forced a 50:50 joint venture. That calculation may not matter if …

Commentary: Japan needs deterrence and renewal – not managed decline

Commentary: Japan needs deterrence and renewal – not managed decline

Published by Sam Flores

The business community must also step forward. Industrial revival and deterrence are no longer separate projects but one and the same.  Semiconductors, robotics, AI and precision manufacturing are inherently dual-use and Japan’s corporate sector must lead the shift with urgency, in partnership with government, by dismantling institutional barriers – including the self-imposed university ban on defence research and regulatory silos that restrict labour mobility. Eighty years after the war’s end – we cannot survive with an education system still shaped by postwar assumptions rather than the world as it is. Finally, the country requires a recovery of national confidence, having grown accustomed to managing decline rather than pursuing renewal. Deterrence does not start with missiles or budget lines. It starts with a society that believes in its own future. A nation that has lost that belief will struggle to defend itself. This is the hardest truth in the entire debate, and the one most rarely spoken aloud. We must also build a broader economic and security coalition. While America remains indispensable, Japan’s vision of a …

Commentary: LeBron James got out before Lakers could throw him out

Commentary: LeBron James got out before Lakers could throw him out

Published by Sam Flores

Of all the calculated maneuvers by LeBron James during his eight years with the Lakers, he saved his smartest for last. He left before the door could hit him in the butt. He knew the Lakers didn’t want him back, so he skipped out before they had a chance to say goodbye. He leaked the news alone, before the Lakers could publicly confirm, because he wanted to sell that this was his decision, when it absolutely was not. This was not his idea. This was not his call. This was the Lakers saying, enough is enough. This was the Lakers saying, we want our team back. This was arguably the greatest player in basketball getting the message and getting out before they threw him out. Officially, on Tuesday, James informed the Lakers that he’s going to leave them as a free agent and finish his career elsewhere. Unofficially, yay! LeBron is gone, and he left without a fight, and the Lakers couldn’t be luckier. LeBron is history, and it didn’t cost the Lakers a penny, …

Commentary: AI alone cannot shorten the work week

Commentary: AI alone cannot shorten the work week

Published by Sam Flores

PRODUCTIVITY DOES NOT CREATE MORE LEISURE Perhaps the clearest evidence that higher productivity will not lead to more leisure is historical: In the past, it hasn’t. Though productivity improved dramatically from 1900 to 2005, average leisure time in the US increased by less than one hour per day for younger and older workers, while declining slightly in the middle age bracket. Though real wages and living standards increased significantly, leisure time did not. Of course, it is possible for people to experience high weekly levels of leisure. History provides many examples of leisure classes in pre-industrial societies, from the aristocrats of Han Dynasty China to the citizens of ancient Athens. These groups, while relying heavily on systems of forced labour for production, eschewed longer hours for scholarly and leisurely pursuits. High amounts of leisure were possible primarily because members of these classes lacked incentives to work more. Norms and technological underdevelopment deterred them from pursuing the cycles of higher production, prices and consumption we observe in the US today. A feudal lord could not meaningfully boost crop …

Commentary: How two men smashed through an ‘unbreakable’ marathon barrier

Commentary: How two men smashed through an ‘unbreakable’ marathon barrier

Published by Sam Flores

WHAT ABOUT THE SHOE? Sawe and Kejelcha wore the lightest “supershoe” in history: Adidas’ Adios Pro Evo 3. Adidas says it is “the fastest and lightest supershoe ever made”. It weighs less than 100g. Supershoes can improve running economy by about 4 per cent compared with conventional racing shoes. The Adios Pro Evo 3 combines several features common in supershoes: very low weight, thick resilient foam and a stiff carbon-based structure in the midsole. The heel thickness is reported to be 39mm, just under the 40mm limit permitted by World Athletics. While most runners benefit from supershoes, the effect is variable and not the same for all runners. Researchers have suggested this is due to two ways in which the footwear interacts with the runner. Firstly, the foam and stiffening element can affect the “spring-like” bounce of the body as the foot hits and leaves the ground. Secondly, they can change how the runner moves, including how the foot and ankle work, how long the foot stays on the ground, and the timing of energy …

COMMENTARY | Morality Gets Heavier

COMMENTARY | Morality Gets Heavier

Published by Sam Flores

There is peace in waking up and knowing exactly what you’re supposed to do with your day. How you’re supposed to parent. What things in life should be prioritized. I was given that on a silver platter, dressed up as a delicious plate of salvation. The Mormon Church is the key to happiness. Everyone knows that. It was easy to believe.My friends believed it.My parents adored it.And so did I. It’s a beautiful thought — that there is a father in the sky who loves me and who gave me a plan to live in peace and happiness for eternity. That if I followed the rules closely enough, I would be safe. That goodness was something I could earn through obedience. But what happens when that framework shatters? When the questions you whispered for years turn into shouts. When you can no longer reconcile that the loving God you believed in does not love the gay community, does not respect minorities, does not include them, and does not uplift women. When a quick Google search …

Commentary: What to do if you fail at your New Year’s resolution

Commentary: What to do if you fail at your New Year’s resolution

Published by Sam Flores

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL A constructive way to discuss your failed resolution is to focus on the controllability of the failure. Research shows that most resolutions will require some investment of time and of money. For example, getting in shape takes time for exercise and also normally requires money for a gym membership or for workout equipment. Because both of these resources are essential for pursuing our goals, many failed resolutions are due to the lack of either time or money, or both. When talking about a failed resolution in the past, I’ve showed in my own research that we should focus on how lack of money contributed to this failure, rather than lack of time. In my 2024 study, people read about fictional as well as real panel participants who failed either due to lack of money or lack of time. Most participants felt the person whose failure was caused by lack of money would have more self-control going forward and was going to be more reliable at pursuing their goals. This …