Patrick J. McCloskey
Introduction to Dakota Digital Review
The cartoonist Walt Kelly said it best, “We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.” What sorcerer or ancient magician could have imagined what we take for granted today: video conferencing across continents, texting at 30,000...
[OPINION] Atoms of the World Unite—Or Split
If transitioning to “green” energy (primarily wind and solar) yields only a 6 percent reduction in global CO2 emissions—as shown in Mark Mill’s article, beginning on page 8—how can the U.S., let alone the...
[OPINION] Dune or Done? COVID’s Avoidable Catastrophe
Imagine someone growing up in a vast desert. One day, this young man or woman leaves home and eventually comes to a river for the first time. Down this person sits and decides to...
Closer to the Robo-Rubicon: Robots, Autonomy and the Future (or Maybe Not) of You
Seven years ago, Maj. Gen. Robert Latiff and I wrote an opinion article for the Wall Street Journal, titled “With Drone Warfare, America Approaches the Robo-Rubicon.” The Week, which reviews newspaper and magazine stories...
The Great Boston Fire & Epizootic of 1872
Disease & Technological Transformation
At 7 p.m. on November 9, 1872, a fire started in the basement of a warehouse at the corner of Kingston and Summer Streets in Boston, Massachusetts. Two hours later, the...