Ukraine Needs the US to Step Up It is blindingly obvious that the Ukraine-Russia negotiations are rigged against Ukraine. Russia has more cards to play in the negotiations: Donald Trump admires President Putin and resents President Zelenskyy; Trump has business deals in Russia; Trump is jealous of the sophistication of leaders of the NATO and … Continue reading Glory to Ukraine: The US Must Step Up
David versus Two Goliaths – and Winning
A photo of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin standing together at the Alaska ‘Summit’ in August 2025 is displayed in the Palm Room of Trump’s White House. It speaks volumes of Trump’s inexplicable admiration of Putin along with other autocrats and dictators, and what Volodymyr Zelenskyy is up against in negotiating with Russia while the … Continue reading David versus Two Goliaths – and Winning
Focus on Ukraine
In the aftermath of excellent speeches at the WEF by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, I see some clarity in thinking and moving forward. Policymakers can’t keep being deflected by repeated volleys of one-day crises, with their twists and turns, such as with Donald Trump feeding of the news media … Continue reading Focus on Ukraine
CITI MEMORIES by A. Michael Noll
[Colleagues are celebrating Professor Eli Noam's illustrious career as he retires from directing the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) and his professorship at the Columbia Business School. I am delighted to post A. Michael Noll's personal reflections on Eli's career with the permission of the author.] CITI MEMORIES A. Michael Noll January 5, 2026 Introduction … Continue reading CITI MEMORIES by A. Michael Noll
Is Trump Fit for Office?
Reports from the Economist, BBC World Service, and Aljazeera, concerning US President Donald J. Trump, note that: “In the message that was confirmed on Monday as being delivered to Norwegian leader Jonas Gahr Store, Trump wrote that “considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, … Continue reading Is Trump Fit for Office?
150th Anniversary of Telephone Patent
The 150th Anniversary of Telephone Patent by A. Michael Noll [This blog is distributed with the permission of the author, A. Michael Noll.] March 7th 2026 is the 150th anniversary of the award of the patent for the telephone to Alexander Graham Bell. These 150 years have seen an expansion of the telephone in incredible … Continue reading 150th Anniversary of Telephone Patent
Truth Political: : The Minneapolis ICE Shooting
Protests over the actions of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) following the death of Renee Nicole Good have been extensive across the US, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. The fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed mother of three, who had just dropped a child off at school, by Jonathan Ross, a 43-year-old ICE … Continue reading Truth Political: : The Minneapolis ICE Shooting
Removal of Maduro from Venezuela
The Removal of Maduro: Implications for a Rules Based Order? Will America’s abduction of Nicolás Maduro undermine or potentially reinforce international rules? Breaking a rule focuses attention on the rule and the rule breaker. In everyday life and governance, when individuals or even nations break a rule, it does not necessarily change the rule. To … Continue reading Removal of Maduro from Venezuela
Write Letters: A 2026 Resolution
Many journalists are noting the ‘lost art’ of letter-writing.[i] Evidence of this decline abounds, such as in the number of letters delivered per household, revenue generated by postal services, and many anecdotal accounts, including my own. The general picture is nicely summarized in the following UK statistics: “According to annual Post Office statistics, today, the … Continue reading Write Letters: A 2026 Resolution
Democracy Lost
Democracy Lost: Can America Recover from 2025? The USA appears to be racing – not sleep-walking – into an un-American future. Since the 2024 election, the current Trump administration has treated the nation’s universities, sciences, medical research, foreign humanitarian aid, human rights, the Democratic Party, and even democracy, as among its enemies. Advances in education, … Continue reading Democracy Lost