A big thank you to all those who shared the opt-in form last week! If you forgot, here's your second chance to help a friend sign up for Will's Weekly Digest! Today's edition is themed around exploration, and so all the links are about what's happening somewhere else in the world. I think it's a safe bet that everyone's heard enough domestic news lately anyhow.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1492 - Christobal Colombo, or Chris Columbus if you prefer, sets off on his voyage to India, and we all know how that turned out. Columbus went off in search of spices, and instead sailed home with slaves, and knowledge of a world previously unknown to white Europeans. And the rest, as they say, is history. Unlike in 1492, and even the late 1800s, there are no black spaces on the world map today, but that doesn't mean we're done exploring, particularly not with the world more interconnected than ever, and with local problems increasingly of global concern.
Oil and Economics
Black gold it is sometimes called, and it's been making men rich for over a century now. And by men I mean a small handful of people, and by rich I mean astronomically and unbelievably wealthy, like wealthy enough to have your own kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has sat atop the oil world order for decades, and profited immensely, but times are changing, and the Kingdom is trying to keep up (from Bloomberg). A world without oil is not in the Saudis' best interest, but it's an approaching reality, and how they respond and adapt will have repercussions in the Middle East and around the world.
Meanwhile, in Venezuela
Another country whose entire economy is built on oil exports isn't handling falling oil prices as well as Saudi Arabia. Venezuela has essentially become a failed state (from the Atlantic).
Former president Hugo Chavez capitalized on Venezuela's abundance of natural oil, but in doing so made the nation's economy entirely reliant on one commodity, and when oil prices crashed recently so did the country's economy. Most Americans aren't paying attention, but Venezuela is a real mess, and ultimately this will have a larger impact on the US than it has already.
Fake it Til You Make it...or Nyet
I got my PhD in biochemistry from the University of Moscow said one oligarch to another...except he probably hadn't (from Slate). Academic fraud is rampant among the wealthy elite in Russia, and I'm not at all surprised given that the nation is a kleptocracy of Putin's closest friends and cronies. What I enjoyed most about this article is that the small organization of Russian scientists and academics dedicated to rooting out this fraud are proud of the impressive Soviet scientific tradition of high standards and advancing scientific knowledge and achievements.
The Final Frontier
Since there are no more black holes on the world map, and because I'm a NASA nerd, today's final link is about the final frontier, or perhaps, the final frontiers...(from Medium)? Our universe is unfathomably big, and that's only the part of it that is visible to us, the observable universe. How much bigger might it be, and how many other universes might exist? I'll let you ponder those questions on your own. It's a fun process, but it could give you a headache.
Turn that :( Upside Down
Why so down, little one? Is it because I had to take this picture from Pinterest since no one has shared a puppy in three weeks? Is it because you would rather belong to one of the subscribers so they could send me your picture and make you famous? I'm sorry, buddy. Everything will be okay, you're way too cute to be unloved for long.
Will's Weekly Trivia
Please be sure to share Willful Intent's new opt-in form with friends, and submit any thoughts and dog pics via the feedback form!
IF you choose to answer the question, respond to staton.will@gmail.com with your answer. Please note that by competing you are giving me permission to publish your first name in the trivia leader board each week.
Correction!!
Last week's digest indicated Bill from MS as the trivia winner, with Steve from MS as a close second, close enough to force a recount, at which point it was discovered that Steve and Bill tied for first place. So much for the stereotype about Mississippians.
Last Week:
1. How many presidents have been impeached by the House of Representatives? ONE POINT
2. How many American presidents have been assassinated? ONE POINT
3. Who was the first president to live in the White House? ONE POINT
Answer:
1. Two presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
2. Four presidents have been assassinated: Abe Lincoln; James Garfield; William McKinley; and JFK
3. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House.
This Week:
1. What was the name of the first dog in space? HINT: She was Russian ONE POINT
2. What is the name of the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia (ex: House of Windsor)? ONE POINT
3. Which two South American countries are members of OPEC? ONE POINT APIECE
