Americans in Russian Jails: Hostage Diplomacy

Paul Whelan, American citizen and former US Marine reservist, was arrested in Moscow in December of 2018; in 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years hard labor at the Mardovia prison camp on charges of espionage, charges the man denies,: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/12/28/after-3-years-detained-russia-paul-whelan-has-lost-everything/9033442002/. Likewise, in August of 2019, former US Marine Trevor Reed was arrested in Moscow,… Continue reading Americans in Russian Jails: Hostage Diplomacy

Autonomous Vehicles: The Future or too Dangerous?

The idea of autonomously driving- or self-driving- cars sounds as if it was drawn right out of a sci-fi thriller for those of us accustomed to more traditionally driven vehicles. However, this has been an emerging technology. Many of us are already aware of the Tesla, which does have Autopilot, which allows for its vehicles… Continue reading Autonomous Vehicles: The Future or too Dangerous?

Wildfires: A Problem of Ideology

In recent years, particularly in the Western states, the devastation resulting from wildfires has become an issue of vital importance to the survival and well-being of communities, particularly those in more rural and forested areas, though not exclusively. Whether it is direct destruction resulting from fire, or the dangers of thick layers of smoke settling… Continue reading Wildfires: A Problem of Ideology

Intentions

Issues of our union, or issuesofourunion.com, is meant to serve as an independent source of political news, analysis, and opinion. My intentions are: to provide a means of better understanding events, ideas, controversies, policies, and so on; to understand different viewpoints in a constructive and hopefully honest manner; to analyze and, at times, criticize, as… Continue reading Intentions