punkideas
That's self-interest, not self-actualization. Part of self-actualizing is realizing you aren't the center of the universe.
I think it's a deeper disillusionment with the economy. Anyone who isn't truly rich is coming to the conclusion that it's becoming increasingly hard to get ahead in the economy over the long term, and the measures they use for economic health are becoming increasingly divorced from this reality. Things getting mildly better for some people over the recent past don't offset people's economic realities.
RiNo or somewhere else?
It's because you have to use your water to keep water rights. Flood irrigating alfalfa is an easy way to use up a lot of water to keep the rights without having to manage more complex farms. The current way that water rights works creates perverse incentives.
It shouldn't be allowed for contracts of adhesion (take or leave it contracts for consumers). Mandatory binding arbitration should be limited to business to business negotiated contracts.
I think the solution for the first issue is fairly straight-forward - make is so that you have to realize capital gains when using stocks and other securities as collateral. The second one would either be applying capital gains taxes before stepping up. Both of these seem fairly common sense fixes to the loopholes, so it's safe to assume they won't happen without a major political shift.
Isinglass is not used very much outside breweries trying to do really traditional British styles, because it's finicky and there are better and cheaper options. I'd say that the most common thing making beer non-vegan is adding adjuncts like lactose in milk stouts.
Now we just need a 6 hour hbomberguy video essay about Rajat Khare to really take this to the next level.
The Great North, if you want to watch a fun and wholesome cartoon.
I think so. There isn't any sign of a mortal trying to achieve godhood again.