According to the newspapers I read, we have "bad" political discourse. What does bad political discourse look like? It is a lot of yelling, and its language is inflammatory; Gov. Scott Walker being heckled at the State of the State speech comes to mind. Most importantly, the problem with a bad political discourse is that nothing gets done.
Two recent studies concerning the discovery of mutated H5N1 virus strains, commonly known as avian flu, which are capable of transmission among mammals have generated a huge debate over the regulation and dissemination of scientific knowledge. Many scientist seem to b divided over whether the studies should be published since the virus strains could be used for bioterrorism. The papers in question, from the lab of Ron Fouchier at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands and by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at UW-Madison-submitted to "Science" and "Nature," respectively-await judgment from the scientific community, particularly from the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.
Of all pressing issues facing America, it's absolutely ridiculous for congress to be so steadfastly ignorant in their support in such overreaching laws as the "Stop Online Piracy Act" and the "Protect Intellectual Property Act." It's not entirely surprising noting the strong relationship between Hollywood and the government, especially with Barack Obama as president and Chris Dodd's new job as a Hollywood lobbyist. To appease Hollywood, powerful legislators, with majority support from the Democratic Party, attempted to introduce and eventually pass both legislation. However, thankfully, the indignation of the public and the intelligence and passion of our generation rose up to defeat both acts.
An investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Legislature's Joint Audit Committee last week revealed that the state's FoodShare program, which provides money for low income families and unemployed to buy food, may have committed fraud. According to the audit, $32.9 million of the $1.1 billion in FoodShare loans, which are comprised of both federal and state funds, were spent outside of Wisconsin which, while legally permissible under the federal FoodShare provisions, has suggested to some pundits and lawmakers that the program is being exploited by the program's beneficiaries.
During the last days of 2011, specifically on Dec. 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services officially removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list in the Western Great Lakes region, a region that includes the state of Wisconsin. For the past 40 years, the gray wolf has been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. Thus, following this news, the state's legislatures drafted a bill that will allow the Department of Natural Resources to issue "wolf harvesting licenses."
The decision taken by Susan G. Komen for the Cure to cut funding to Planned Parenthood resulted in a severe backlash by supporters of both organizations. Planned Parenthood received nearly $700,000 last year from Komen to conduct breast cancer exams and mammography referrals for women in need. Komen insists that their decision was based on a need to adopt more stringent eligibility criteria and to prevent association with controversial organizations. Planned Parenthood has been the subject of an investigation by U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., regarding the use of federal funds and to discern whether they are being used to provide abortion services at Planned Parenthood's health centers.
Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as fracking, is the use of a highly pressurized fluid consisting of water, sand, and a mixture of chemicals shot deep into underground shale rock to extract trapped natural gas. On the subject, national, ideological interests have confused the general public at large and made it harder for independent thought to flourish and make reasonable decisions. This mess is the symptom of nationalizing a local issue.
It is easy to look at the upcoming Spring elections and focus solely on the potential recall of Gov. Scott Walker. It has become a national issue, and millions of dollars from both Wisconsin and out-of-state are being thrown into the election. But there is another important choice to make on the ballot: two candidates for Madison school board representatives.
Political accountability has always been an issue. The amount of misinformation that transpires in a 10 minute chunk of cable news alone is overwhelming, and in today's media environment most of these falsehoods remain unchallenged.
The death toll in Syria rose by another 400 people since last Thursday after a wave of killings promoted by President Bashar al-Assad. On Monday alone, over 25 people were reportedly killed in a government-led crackdown on protesters dissenting Assad's rule over the Syrian people. Monday also witnessed yet another statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the recent escalation in violence in the country and a promise of an international resolution on the issue from the United Nations Security Council.
Apple, over the past couple of weeks, has begun to unveil its strategy for getting into the textbook business. It hopes to electronically transform this industry, similar to the other sectors it has systematically revolutionized since the turn of the century. It is no secret that educators and academic institutions are looking for ways to invigorate the classroom experience and to capture the attention spans of today's students. Yet, despite the user-friendliness of the iPad, the competition of other products-Amazon's Kindle, Barnes and Nobles' Nook and other Android devices-and the technologically reliant young people of the 21st century, a problem looms: Technology can be more of a burden than an asset unless properly integrated into a curriculum.
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